Published 09:14 IST, November 19th 2019
West Bengal Governor: 'Not running parallel government'
West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar said that the statements that he is running a parallel government are false and he went on to dismiss all charges
West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, on Monday, said that the statements that he is running a parallel government are false and if he was actually running a separate government in the state, there would be huge cutouts of his across the streets in the city. He dismissed the charges against him and said that the Chief Secretary has not made him in the last 50 days as well.
'Not running parallel government'
Earlier, All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay raised the issue at an all-party meeting and said, "We (TMC) spoke that the roles of Governors to be discussed on the floor of the house. Governor in West Bengal is running a parallel administration who should not be allowed to function. Each and every day, honourable Governor is exercising his power and moving the States from district to district without intimating the state government. I have raised the issue in the all-party meeting."
On Monday, the tussle between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Governor reached the Parliament when TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy raised the issue of the Governor "exceeding his brief" and trying to run a parallel administration in the state. He said, "The Governor is exceeding his brief on a regular basis. He is trying to run a parallel administration in Bengal. What the Governor is doing does not behove him as he is occupying a constitutional post. If he wants to do politics, he is free to do so. But then he should leave Raj Bhawan and openly do politics. I have raised the matter in Parliament," Roy told a regional news channel.
The latest issue was the State Government's refusal to provide the helicopter sought by Dhankhar to travel to Murshidabad for a programme and return to the city on Friday. Dhankar attempted to convene administrative meetings in several places but it evoked an only lukewarm response from invitees, who were state government officials. He repeatedly countered by saying that what he was doing was well within his constitutional limits and he was well aware of it.
(With inputs from ANI)
Updated 10:25 IST, November 19th 2019