Governor of West Bengal Kesari Nath Tripathi. Express photo by Partha Paul.As the post-poll violence continues unabated in Bengal, Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi has called for a meeting of four major political parties at Raj Bhawan on Thursday, to ensure prevalence of peace in the state. The move from the Governor comes days after he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and apprised them of the present law and order situation here.
“In the context of reported incidents of post-poll violence in the state, Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi has convened a meeting of four major political parties in West Bengal which will be useful in creating a harmonious situation whereby peace and harmony prevails in the State for the benefit of the citizens,” said a release issued by Governor’s press secretary.
“The meeting will be held at Rajbhavan on 13/06/2019 at 4 pm. The invitees are Dr. Partha Chatterjee (AITMC), Dilip Ghosh( BJP), Dr. Surjyakanto Mishra (CPM) and Soumendra Nath Mitra (Congress),” it read.
Not the first time Governor has stepped in
This is not the first time Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi has decided to intervene. In 2017, he had stepped in and spoken to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after a riot broke out at Baduria. The Chief Minister had then accused him of speaking like a BJP leader. Since then, the relationship between the state government and the Governor has remained strained.
The BJP welcomed the Governor’s move and said its leaders will attend the meeting. “The Governor has played his role as the constitutional guardian of the state by convening the meeting. Our leaders will definitely attend it. We will place our statements before him,” said West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh. The TMC will also attend the meeting.
“Yes, the Governor has invited us for the meeting and our representative will attend it. There is no problem in that,” said TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee.
Responding to a query on this, Abhishek said, “I will place my question before the Governor of Uttar Pradesh that why should not President’s Rule be imposed there after 25 Yadavs were killed and a two-year-old girl was raped and killed? Journalists are being beaten up and arrested there. So, if President’s Rule is needed in Bengal, then it is also needed in Uttar Pradesh. There is a demand for this because the people of Bengal have not bowed their heads before the Centre.”
Commenting on the role of the Governor, Abhishek further said, “I respect the post of the Governor…A Governor is someone who should be representing the right picture of the state to the authorities concerned at the Centre. I would have appreciated if it would have taken place that way.”
