News Analysis India

Tag: West Bengal Governor

  • ‘Uncultured conduct: Suvendu Adhikari skips Bengal guv’s swearing-in ceremony over seat allocation

    By Express News Service

    KOLKATA: Mercury in Bengal politics soared up on the day of newly appointed governor C. V. Ananda Bose’s swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday as Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari skipped the event over the issue of his seating arrangement.

    Adhikari alleged he was given a seat beside two MLAs who were elected on BJP’s ticket in the 2021 Assembly elections but defected to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) which was designed with a political motive.

    “The sitting arrangement made by the Information and Cultural Affairs department of the state government was a reflection of the ruling party’s political revenge game. Two MLAs, Krishna Kalyani and Biswajit Das, was elected as BJP candidate and shifted their police allegiance to the TMC. I skipped the swearing-in ceremony protesting against my sitting arrangement,’’ said Adhikari.

    Describing the sitting arrangement as “uncultured conduct’’, Adhikari tweeted, ‘’The Information & Cultural Affairs Dept; WB Govt had made the arrangements of the oath-taking ceremony. Sitting arrangements as per the Minister in Charge @MamataOfficial’s whim.’’

    Adhikari also alleged that the BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar, who is the state president of the saffron camp, was given a seat behind the TMC MPs.

    Hitting out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Adhikari said, ‘’She cannot forget her defeat in Nandigram by me. She had to get elected from a seat in Kolkata to continue as the Chief Minister.’’

    Heartiest Congratulations to Dr CV Ananda Bose as he takes oath as the Governor of West Bengal.The Information & Cultural Affairs Dept; WB Govt has made the arrangements for the oath taking ceremony.Seating arrangements as per the Minister in Charge @MamataOfficial’s whim: pic.twitter.com/ovbTMqGsif
    — Suvendu Adhikari • শুভেন্দু অধিকারী (@SuvenduWB) November 23, 2022
    TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh described Adhikari’s decision to skip the swearing-in event as an example of uncultured political conduct.  

    Shortly after assuming office, Bose received the first letter of complaint from state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury accusing the ruling TMC of misusing administrative power.  

    Referring to Congress’s victory in defeating the TMC in Jhalda municipality in Purulia in a vote of confidence on Monday, Chowdhury alleged the councillors of his party are under torture and threat by the TMC and he sought the governor’s intervention.

    The appointment of Bose, a former IAS officer, as the governor is said to be politically significant as the BJP’s Bengal chapter expressed its unhappiness over the role of La Ganesan, the constitutional head of Manipur who was in charge of Bengal, as he preferred to maintain silence on the issue of a TMC minister’s remark on the President appearance.

    Bengal witnessed a slew of face-offs between the state government and former governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on several issues ranging from poor governance to the state’s law and order situation.

    The TMC accused Dhankhar on several occasions of working at the behest of the BJP and alleged that the Raj Bhavan had turned into an extension of the saffron camp’s party office.

    KOLKATA: Mercury in Bengal politics soared up on the day of newly appointed governor C. V. Ananda Bose’s swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday as Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari skipped the event over the issue of his seating arrangement.

    Adhikari alleged he was given a seat beside two MLAs who were elected on BJP’s ticket in the 2021 Assembly elections but defected to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) which was designed with a political motive.

    “The sitting arrangement made by the Information and Cultural Affairs department of the state government was a reflection of the ruling party’s political revenge game. Two MLAs, Krishna Kalyani and Biswajit Das, was elected as BJP candidate and shifted their police allegiance to the TMC. I skipped the swearing-in ceremony protesting against my sitting arrangement,’’ said Adhikari.

    Describing the sitting arrangement as “uncultured conduct’’, Adhikari tweeted, ‘’The Information & Cultural Affairs Dept; WB Govt had made the arrangements of the oath-taking ceremony. Sitting arrangements as per the Minister in Charge @MamataOfficial’s whim.’’

    Adhikari also alleged that the BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar, who is the state president of the saffron camp, was given a seat behind the TMC MPs.

    Hitting out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Adhikari said, ‘’She cannot forget her defeat in Nandigram by me. She had to get elected from a seat in Kolkata to continue as the Chief Minister.’’

    Heartiest Congratulations to Dr CV Ananda Bose as he takes oath as the Governor of West Bengal.
    The Information & Cultural Affairs Dept; WB Govt has made the arrangements for the oath taking ceremony.
    Seating arrangements as per the Minister in Charge @MamataOfficial’s whim: pic.twitter.com/ovbTMqGsif
    — Suvendu Adhikari • শুভেন্দু অধিকারী (@SuvenduWB) November 23, 2022
    TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh described Adhikari’s decision to skip the swearing-in event as an example of uncultured political conduct.  

    Shortly after assuming office, Bose received the first letter of complaint from state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury accusing the ruling TMC of misusing administrative power.  

    Referring to Congress’s victory in defeating the TMC in Jhalda municipality in Purulia in a vote of confidence on Monday, Chowdhury alleged the councillors of his party are under torture and threat by the TMC and he sought the governor’s intervention.

    The appointment of Bose, a former IAS officer, as the governor is said to be politically significant as the BJP’s Bengal chapter expressed its unhappiness over the role of La Ganesan, the constitutional head of Manipur who was in charge of Bengal, as he preferred to maintain silence on the issue of a TMC minister’s remark on the President appearance.

    Bengal witnessed a slew of face-offs between the state government and former governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on several issues ranging from poor governance to the state’s law and order situation.

    The TMC accused Dhankhar on several occasions of working at the behest of the BJP and alleged that the Raj Bhavan had turned into an extension of the saffron camp’s party office.

  • Governor Dhankar in war of words with VCs over functioning of Bengal varsities 

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: The general secretary of the West Bengal Vice-Chancellors’ Council on Saturday said no convocation was held on the campuses of the state universities in the last two years due to the pandemic, as Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar lamented that he was not being invited to the ceremonies though he was the chancellor.

    Noting that the state of universities in West Bengal was worrisome, Dhankhar at a programme on Friday said he was unable to “sleep at night” because of the situation.

    “What the governor has said does not reflect the real situation. How many convocations were held on campuses in the last two years? Please remember how the pandemic affected everything,” Subiresh Bhattacharya, the general secretary of Upacharjya Parishad or VC Council, told PTI.

    Addressing the National Students’ Convocation of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India, Dhankhar also raised concern over “unionism of the VCs” against him, referring to the meetings that he had called, which were ducked by the vice-chancellors.

    Bhattacharya, who is the vice-chancellor of the University of North Bengal, said, “There is a mechanism for calling such meetings.”

    “If the mechanism is followed, the VCs will go as per the rules. The governor is our chancellor,” he said.

    The vice-chancellor of another state university, who refused to be identified, said the governor was invited to the convocations of Jadavpur University and Calcutta University in December 2019 and January 2020, respectively, but faced protests by students.

    “After that, the pandemic happened.”

    The issue escalated to a political fist-fight between the opposition BJP and the ruling TMC.

    “What the governor said is very true and it doesn’t bring glory to the state if the VCs of state universities treat him in such a manner at the behest of the Trinamool Congress government,” BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.

    Bhattacharya claimed he was told by the VC of a private university how he was cautioned after attending a meeting convened by the governor.

    TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the governor should introspect how he was acting in favour of the BJP.

    “The governor is trying to become a super authority by summoning the VCs and issuing letters questioning different moves of the Higher Education Department,” Ghosh said.

    The Higher Education Department refused to comment on the fiasco.

  • Mamata’s allegations “wildest”, claims Dhankhar

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s comments against him at a TMC meeting during the day were “wildest of allegations” and have no credibility.

    He asked Banerjee to point out any document written by him or tweet posted by him which is in abusive language or is not justified under constitutional provisions.

    Banerjee had criticised Dhankhar at a Trinamool Congress meeting during the day without naming him.

    “What she has said, there is no credibility in them for me. It does not behove the chief minister to make such wild allegations,” Dhankhar told reporters here.

    Banerjee had criticised Dhankhar at a Trinamool Congress meeting during the day without naming him.

    The governor termed as “100 per cent factually incorrect” the chief minister’s claim that he gets food delivered from a five-star hotel in the city everyday.

    “All that the chief minister said are wildest of allegations. There are abuses against me, invectives against me,” he said and asserted that nothing will deter him from the constitutional path.

    He said that it is his duty to ensure that governance of the state is in accordance with the constitution and rule of law.

    “For two and half years there has been total failure at your (Banerjee’s) end to perform your constitutional duty under Article 167 to give information to the governor,” he said, claiming that detail was sought from the Mamata Banerjee government in aspects where “serious allegations were made of fiscal irregularities”.

    Dhankhar claimed that she has made wild allegations questioning the happenings in Raj Bhavan and hinted at telephonic tapping.

    “Perception by and large is because of the present (TMC) government that people in the state have taken to telephoning only on Whatsapp, Facetime, Signal and Telegram and that is a terrifying state of affairs,” Dhankhar said.

    He alleged that fear is haunting virtually every mind of the state. “You (Banerjee) are in your third term. You have today been again elected chairperson of your party. On this day I appeal to you to soul search, respond to your conscience, keep in your heart not the pursuit of power but helping the more than nine crore people of the state,” the governor said.

    Dhankhar claimed that the chief minister had described a horse of the Kolkata Police, which was perhaps not in line during the Republic Day parade, as showing its back to him. “Where are we heading, are we to engage in mudslinging?” he asked.

    Calling for dialogue between the governor and the chief minister, Dhankar said that he will be “happy to walk the extra mile”.

    He said that Banerjee wanted to make an emotional issue of his raising the question of funding for ‘Maa Canteen’ (introduced by TMC government to provide meals for Rs 5 only) which was launched before the stipulated date of April 1, 2021.

    “My point is very simple – where did the money come from? Maa Canteen was operational from mid-February to March 31, 2021 but the constitutional allocation was only from April, 2021,” he said. Replies to his questions on ‘Maa Canteen’ have to come from the government, Dhankhar said.

    The governor said he is not a stakeholder in politics and claimed that the performance of the bureaucracy in the state is turning out to be a challenge to the rule of law. He will ensure that governance in Bengal is in accordance with it. “I want investment in the state. But it can come only when there is right environment, democratic values flourish, human rights blossom, there is rule of law and bureaucracy is apolitical,” the governor, who earlier attended a business chamber programme, said.

    Asserting that no file is pending with him as alleged by the chief minister, Dhankhar claimed that it is the Mamata Banerjee government that has not been able to reply to issues on which he raised questions.

    There is an ongoing tussle between the governor and the TMC dispensation over the issue of his assent to a bill on bifurcation of Howrah Municipal Corporation.

    While TMC has claimed that the issue of his not giving assent is delaying the election to Howrah Municipal Corporation, the governor has said that questions raised by him on the bill are yet to be replied to by the government.

  • VCs of 25 varsities appointed without my nod as chancellor: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday alleged that vice chancellors of 25 state universities have been appointed so far sans his nod as the chancellor.

    His allegation came within 24 hours of the Mamata Banerjee administration appointing Professor Soma Bandyopadhyay as the new VC of Diamond Harbour Women’s University (DHWU) after Arts Faculty Dean Professor Tapan Mondal, appointed by Dhankhar in his capacity as the chancellor, declined to accept the post due to “personal reasons”.

    The ruling Trinamool Congress, on the other hand, asserted that the governor should have approved the names of the VCs selected by the search committee, and if he refuses to give his nod, the Education Department has the power to go ahead with its decision. “Education Environ — ‘Law of ruler, not rule of law’. VCs of 24 (now 25) Universities appointed illegally without Chancellor approval,” Dhankhar tweeted.

    Aug 28 Notification @MamataOfficial appointing Sonali Chakravarti CU VC for second four year term (a classic case of patronage) was directed by Chancellor on Sept 16 to be withdrawn.No response @basu_bratya “Law unto Oneself” stance.Instance of “Law of ruler, not rule of law” pic.twitter.com/1EoXnszenF
    — Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) January 15, 2022
    Sharing a copy of a letter, dated August 17, 2021, addressed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the continuation of Professor Sonali Chakravarti Banerjee as the vice chancellor of Calcutta University for the second term, the governor tweeted, “Calcutta Univ VC Sonali Chakravarty gets second full four year term without any selection. No CM response to Aug 17 communication.”

    “Aug 28 Notification @MamataOfficial appointing Sonali Chakravarti CU VC for second four year term (a classic case of patronage) was directed by Chancellor on Sept 16 to be withdrawn. No response @basu_bratya (Education Minister Bratya Basu) ‘Law unto Oneself’ stance. Instance of ‘Law of ruler, not rule of law’,” he said in another Twitter post.

    Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy criticised the governor for his statement.

    “The honourable governor is not doing justice to his constitutional post by such tweets. He is meddling into the domain of the state government. As the figurehead he should have given assent to the names of VCs decided by the search committee and the Higher Education Department is vested with the power to decide the names after due consideration. If the governor refuses to give nod to the selection, the department has the power to go ahead with its decision as per law,” he said.

    The state government on Friday gave additional charge to Bandyopadhyay, the vice chancellor of West Bengal University of Teachers’ Training, Education Planning and Administration (WBUTTEPA), as the VC of DHWU.

    “The authority has decided to give the charge of the office of the VC of Diamond Harbour University to Prof Soma Bandyopadhyay with effect from 15.01.22 in addition to her normal duties as Vice Chancellor of WBUTTEPA,” the notification said.

    DHWU outgoing VC Professor Anuradha Mukhopadhyay was appointed as the vice chancellor of Sanskrit College and University, of which Bandyopadhyay was the acting vice chancellor.

  • Governor Dhankar sending anti-Mamata Banerjee messages to me every day: TMC MP Saugata Roy

    By ANI

    KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saugata Roy on Wednesday alleged that West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has been sending him messages against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee every day.

    Roy said that ‘it is unethical’ for the Governor to engage in such activities.

    Speaking to ANI, the TMC MP said, “Sending messages against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to me by Governor Dhankhar is very unethical. Chief Minister is the leader of the party of which I am a member. I think someone is provoking the Governor. Governor tweets all this after meeting with either Shubhendu Adhikari or Amit Shah. Governor making statements against Chief Minister every day. He is diminishing the dignity of the post of Governor.”

    Referring to the extension of the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) by the Centre, the TMC MP said, “We had opposed the Centre’s move of extending BSF’s jurisdiction. The Governor also had countered our views on the matter.”

  • West Bengal example of human rights violations, says Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar Friday fired a fresh salvo at the Trinamool Congress government, alleging that the state has set a precedent for human rights violations.

    The governor, in a videographed address on Human Rights Day, said upholding of people’s rights is necessary for a democratic system to flourish.

    “West Bengal has set an example of human rights violations….fear among the people is such that they cannot even discuss this openly,” he said in the address posted on Twitter.

    “Worrisome HUMAN RIGHTS violations @MamataOfficial. Only ‘Rule of Ruler and not of law’ @India_NHRC. Need for massive uplift,” he said in another tweet.

    Dhankhar, who has been at loggerheads with the TMC government over several issues since taking over as governor in July, 2019, also alleged that the administration and officials in the state are behaving like political workers.

    “Situation @MamataOfficial far distanced from ‘where the mind is without fear and the head is held high’. Governance is distancing from Constitution and rule of law,” he said.

    The governor urged the officials to work within the provisions of the Constitution.

    Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a message on Human Rights Day posted on Twitter around the same time as that of Dhankhar’s address, called for unity among people to defeat forces that abuse fundamental rights.

    “Let us pledge to rise above hate and inequality. Let us come together and fight for each other, stand by each other. Together, we can defeat all forces that dare to abuse our fundamental rights,” she wrote.

  • West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar says SEC will brief him on civic elections, poll panel ‘unaware’

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday said that State Election Commissioner Sourav Das would meet him to brief about the preparations for the upcoming civic polls in Kolkata, but the poll official claimed that he was not aware of any such meeting.

    Dhankhar said Das would meet him at Raj Bhavan on Tuesday and also discuss regarding deployment of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) during the polls here on December 19.

    “State Election Commissioner @MamataOfficial Shri Saurav Das will update Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar on December 07 at Raj Bhawan on issues #KMC elections preparedness and deployment #CAPF,” said a tweet from the governor’s official account.

    “Governor had indicated SEC constitutionally mandated to ensure free and fair elections,” it added.

    Das, however, said he was not aware of the meeting.

    “I don’t know anything about it. I cannot comment much more than this, but can only say that I have no knowledge about the matter,” he said when contacted.

    Dhankhar had on Thursday sought details of deployment of the CAPF for the civic polls from Das who met him at Raj Bhavan.

  • 4th State Finance Commission continued beyond 5-year term in violation of Constitution: Bengal Governor

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: Alleging that the Fourth State Finance Commission continued beyond its five-year tenure in violation of the Constitution, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday said members of the panel are “liable to return salary” and “all expenses need to be recovered as public money cannot be so squandered”.

    He also claimed the SFC did not make recommendations to the governor since 2014, which, he described as “collapse of constitutional mechanism”.

    “SFC under constitution is for five years. Fourth SFC @MamataOfficial continued beyond in violation of Constitution. Chairman and Members are liable to return salary and perks to State and all expenses need to be recovered from concerned as Public money cannot be so squandered,” he said on Twitter.

    However, Abhirup Sarkar, the chairman of the Fourth State Finance Commission, told PTI that the members of the panel did not receive any fee after submitting their report to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in February 2016.

    The fourth SFC was constituted by the West Bengal government in April 2013.

    Asked about the allegation, Sarkar said, “There were three part-time members of the commission.

    They used to get sitting fees for their meetings.

    We have not received any money after submitting our report in February 2016.

    No new SFC has been formed yet.

    ” Notably, Dhankhar and Mamata Banerjee’s TMC government have been at loggerheads ever since he assumed office in 2019.

    “State Finance Commission (SFC) @MamataOfficial under Articles 243-I & 243Y, is required to make recommendations to Governor that are to be laid before the Legislature of the State.

    What a collapse of constitutional mechanism, since 2014 not a single recommendation to Governor,” Dhakhar said on the microblogging site.

    He also said, “Recommendations to Governor are for principles that should govern the distribution between state and panchayats/municipalities of net proceeds of taxes, duties, tolls and fees leviable @MamataOfficial, which may be divided and allocated between state and panchayats/municipalities.”  

  • Bengal Governor rubbishes TMC MP’s allegation about kin appointed as OSDs in Raj Bhavan

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday said TMC MP Mahua Moitra’s allegation that his family members and other acquaintances have been appointed as OSDs in Raj Bhavan was “factually wrong” and described it as a “distraction strategy” to divert attention from “alarming law and order situation” in the state.

    He said six officers on special duty are not part of his close family.

    “Assertion @MahuaMoitra in tweet & media that six coterminous appointee OSDs in personal staff are relatives is FACTUALLY WRONG. OSDs are from three states and belong to four different castes. None of them is part of close family. Four of them are not from my caste or state,” Dhankhar said on Twitter.

    “This is unfolding of ‘distraction strategy’ to divert attention from alarming law and order scenario @MamataOfficial,” he said.

    The governor also said he “would continue undeterred and with zeal to serve the people of state and vindicate my oath of office under Article 159 of the Constitution”.

    Moitra had on Sunday addressed Dhankhar as “uncle-ji” and alleged that his family members and other acquaintances have been appointed as OSDs in Raj Bhavan.

    Taking to the microblogging site, Moitra had shared a list of names — OSD to governor Abbhudoy Singh Sekhawat, OSD-coordination Akhil Chowdhury, OSD-administration Ruchi Dubey, OSD-protocol Prasant Diksit, OSD-IT Koustav S Valikar and newly appointed OSD Kishan Dhankar.

    The TMC MP had also said Sekhawat is the son of Dhankhar’s brother-in-law, and Ruchi Dubey and Prasant Diksit are respectively wife and brother of his former aide-de-camp (ADC) Major Gorang Diksit.

    Valikar is the brother-in-law of present ADC Janardan Rao, while Kishan Dhankar is another close relative of the governor, Moitra added.

  • TMC MP Mahua Moitra calls Bengal governor ‘uncle-ji’, says his kin appointed as officer on special duty

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Addressing West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar as ‘uncle-ji’, TMC MP Mahua Moitra on Sunday said that his family members and other acquaintances have been appointed as officers on special duty (OSDs) in Raj Bhavan.

    Taking to Twitter, Moitra shared a list of names — OSD to governor Abbhudoy Singh Sekhawat, OSD-coordination Akhil Chowdhury, OSD-administration Ruchi Dubey, OSD-protocol Prasant Diksit, OSD-IT Koustav S Valikar and newly appointed OSD Kishan Dhankar.

    The TMC MP further said that Sekhawat is the son of Dhankhar’s brother-in-law, and Ruchi Dubey and Prasant Diksit are respectively wife and brother of his former aide-de-camp (ADC) Major Gorang Diksit.

    Valikar is the brother-in-law of present ADC Janardan Rao, while Kishan Dhankar is another close relative of the Governor, Moitra alleged.

    The TMC MP, when contacted, further said, “We all have the democratic right to ask him questions. He keeps asking questions to the state government. I would rather request him to look into the mirror. He has brought his entire village and entire clan to Raj Bhavan.”