Kolkata: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday said he discussed the alarming COVID-19 situation, lawlessness and alleged corruption in cyclone Amphan relief in the state with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.
In a social media message, Dhankhar said he focused on issues of governance by the Mamata Banerjee dispensation during the hour-long meeting with Shah.
“Alarming rise in COVID deaths and positive cases, lawlessness and wanton targeting of political opponents and rampant corruption in Amphan relief” were discussed at the meeting, Dhankhar wrote on Twitter.
In a statement, the Raj Bhavan said the governor found it expedient to discuss with the Union home minister the “alarming cliff-edge governance situation” in West Bengal from the perspective of his constitutional obligation.
According to Dhankhar, who took over as the governor of the state on this day a year ago, “The governance in the state has been cause of concern and worry for about a year”.
What has been the most unfortunate is the alleged non-responsive stance of the government, he said.
“Rampant corruption and nepotism in Amphan relief distribution also figured in the discussion,” the statement said, adding the governor indicated that the relief, “rather than benefiting the needy and entitled persons was unashamedly siphoned to the members of ruling party.”
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The state has taken no legal step to deal with this monumental corruption, it claimed.
The “worrisome and dangerously deteriorating law and order situation targeting political opponents and highly partisan role of police were also discussed. The role of police leaves much to be desired and focused. It is high time exemplary action is taken against senior police officials who act in disregard of the conduct rules,” it said, adding the governor expressed satisfaction at the discussion held with the Union home minister.
Dhankhar, who is also the chancellor of state-run universities of West Bengal, said he also discussed with Shah the state’s higher education scenario, which, he claimed, was highly politicized.
The governor’s meeting with Shah came days after a fresh war of words between him and the West Bengal chief minister.
The education system in West Bengal is “politically caged”, Dhankhar said on July 16, a day after most vice-chancellors of state-run universities skipped a meeting called by him, and asserted he will seek an explanation for their absence.
The threat drew a sharp response from Banerjee who alleged the governor was acting “more dangerously” than a BJP “mouthpiece” which doesn’t behove a person holding a constitutional office.
Under rules amended last year, all communications between the chancellor and the universities have to be routed through the higher education department. In this case, Dhankhar directly asked the VCs to attend the meeting.
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