Published 19:20 IST, June 13th 2020
COVID-19:Bengal Guv urges public apology from Mamata over improper disposal of dead bodies
Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar slammed the Mamata Banerjee govt for "uncivilised and uncouth approach in the disposal of dead bodies" of COVID-19 patients
Advertisement
West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar slammed the Mamata Banerjee government for "uncivilised and uncouth approach in the disposal of dead bodies" of COVID-19 patients and demanded a public apology for the same.
Taking to Twitter, Dhankhar said he was briefed by Kolkata Municipal Commissioner Vinod Kumar about the "sordid saga" of dead body disposal in the city and called out the lapses committed. "Ghastly episode has shocked all," the Governor said, going further to say that age-old traditions "were mercilessly decimated by repeated dragging of dead bodies by iron hook" and then calling for a public apology.
Commissioner Vinod Kumar @kmc_kolkata updated me about sordid saga of dead body disposal- factual details about all 14 dead bodies right from admission to hospital till disposal, as also lapses committed and those involved to be rendered.
— Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) June 13, 2020
Ghastly episode has shocked all. (1/3)
Such uncivilised and uncouth approach in disposal of dead bodies @MamataOfficial came for severe condemnation all over. Our age old traditions were mercilessly decimated by repeated dragging of dead bodies by iron hook.
— Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) June 13, 2020
Urge immediate apology to society at large. (2/3)
Wants to me KMC Chair
Moreover, Jagdeep Dhankhar slammed the KMC Chairperson's unwillingness to meet him and expressed his displeasure over the same to the Commissioner. The Governor said he asked Vinod Kumar to convey his request of a meeting to the Chairperson to discuss "unprecedented suffering in Kolkata" for over a week post-Cyclone Aphan due to KMC's lapses.
Public stance of KMC Chairperson-he will not call me is unthoughtful. He is unmindful of his obligations. Conveyed through KMC Commissioner request to see me at earliest. Would also discuss unprecedented suffering in Kolkata for over a week post Aphan due to KMC lapses (3/3)
— Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) June 13, 2020
WB governor reacts to shocking apathy
Dhankhar had on June 11 expressed his anguish over the videos of the dead bodies being disposed off abruptly. However, the videos were later declared as fake by the West Bengal police. The dead bodies were not of COVID-19 patients, but were unclaimed/unidentified bodies from Hospital Morgue, West Bengal Health Department informed.
Thereafter, he demanded a transparent disclosure from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the details of the dead bodies such as their admission date, hospital, cause of death, and bed ticket. He lamented the manner in which dead bodies were "uncouthly dragged". Moreover, he urged the state government to follow the requisite protocol for the disposal of dead bodies.
Governor-govt tiff
The West Bengal Governor and the Trinamool Congress government has been at loggerheads since the start over a host of issues, lately being the handling of the coronavirus outbreak in the state. The Governor and ruling party members often spare on Twitter over governance issues where Dhankar points out perceived faults and mismanagement in part of the state government while TMC leaders, and even the CM, allege that the Raj Bhavan has become an outpost for the Centre to intervene in state affairs.
19:20 IST, June 13th 2020