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HomePolitics'Raj Bhavan ignored': Governor Dhankhar says CM Mamata didn't brief him even...

‘Raj Bhavan ignored’: Governor Dhankhar says CM Mamata didn’t brief him even once on lockdown

Governor Dhankhar says CM Mamata Banerjee hasn’t given him any updates on how Bengal is dealing with Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown.

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Kolkata: The rift between West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee continues, with the latest flashpoint being the state’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent lockdown.

In an interaction with The Print, Governor Dhankhar said he had not been briefed even once by the chief minister, which, according to him, is “unprecedented”.

“Despite several requests and efforts made by my office to get in touch with the chief minister, Raj Bhavan remained ignored,” he said, adding the “lockdown” between Raj Bhavan and Nabanna (state secretariat) must end during this fight against a pandemic.

“In West Bengal, we have a peculiar situation. I am surprised and shocked that no input was made available to my office,” Dhankhar said. “After several communications, the state’s chief secretary met me and gave me some useful inputs.”

Taking a dig at the state government, he urged the chief minister “to not indulge in theatrics now”.

“I would appeal to the chief minister that this is not time for anyone — for the government or political party to engage in theatrics. It is time for her to adhere to the essence of the Indian Constitution and brief me,” he said. “I have shared several other issues with the chief secretary and he must have briefed her. It is time to bring an end to the lockdown between the chief minister and the Governor.”


Also read: Centre says Mamata govt not enforcing lockdown in some pockets and lists ‘Muslim areas’


‘State far from sharing ground reality with people’

The governor further accused the government of not sharing details of the ground reality in the state.

“Authentic information about the ground reality should be shared with people as it has also been stated by the Supreme Court,” Dhankhar said. “But the state is far from it at the moment. The promised medical bulletin has also stopped coming out for a couple of days.”

He also accused the state government of focusing on “advertising” during the lockdown. “100 per cent observance of social distancing is the need of the hour and not engaging in advertisements of a different flavour,” he said.

“The number of tests should be enhanced right now and I got input from various sources, that is not also happening to requisite level. Testing kits are available but the kits should be used optimally. I know for a fact that 1,000 kits are lying unused in Malda while 1,200 kits are there in Midnapore. Not testing enough also appears to be a poor reflection on state,” Dhankhar added.


Also read: Bombs, bullets fly as Covid-19 lockdown fails to end violence in ‘politically-charged’ Bengal


 

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3 COMMENTS

  1. This Governor is an appointee of central Govt. and he should remember one thing that Mamata Banerjee as Chief Minister of West Bengal is elected by the people of West Bengal who is responsible and accountable to the people of WB and people of Bengal. Mr. Dhankhar thinks that his appointment to the post of Governor by selection is meant to be the one which should be acceptable to the people as well. He is wrong at that and Mamata Banerjee is not meant to be at his beck and call as to fulfill his wishes. Constitutionally and legally Mr. Dhankhar is not accountable to the people of West Bengal rather he is meant to be working for the ruling party at the centre which has selected him to this post without having any decency of consulting the state Chief Minister. Moreover, Mr. Dhankhar has been working as the President of BJP more than being a Governor and he has maligned the office of Governor. The central Govt. letter to the Govt. of west Bengal on violation of Covid -19 measures are nothing but is fed by the office of West Bengal Unit of BJP, RSS and other such organisations stamped by the Governor and is a insult to the people of Bengal. Mr. Dhankar cannot ask the Govt. of West to be accountable to him since that would amount to Mamata Banerjee insulting the mandate that she is given by its people.,

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