Governor Jagdeep DhankarGovernor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday lashed out at the state police chief Virendra for sending him a “two-line” reply to his queries about West Bengal’s law-and-order situation. Dhankhar also summoned the Director General of Police (DGP).
In response to the latest comments, Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee said the Governor should be arrested for “indulging in criminal conspiracy”.
This is not the first time the Governor has criticised the DGP. On September 19, following the arrest of six suspected al-Qaeda operatives by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Murshidabad, Dhankhar raised concerns about the “alarming decline” in law and order.
He lashed out at Virendra in a series of tweets. “How far distanced is DGP @WBPolice from reality is cause of worry. His ‘ostrich stance’ is very disturbing,” he wrote in one post.
In a tweet on Monday, Dhankhar said, “Anguished at DGP WBPolice ‘don’t care’ ostrich stance on law & order. “West Bengal police firmly adheres to the path laid down by law..” – State already safe haven to terror, crime, illegal bomb-making. Hope he has ‘tryst with reality’ @MamataOfficial from my note when he sees me.”
In the statement shared on social media, Dhankhar said, “DGP’s two-sentence response dated September 10 to my ‘confidential’ communication dated September 5, sent unusually, to Secretary to Governor, has surprised and anguished me. His response to the critical issue raised is thus: West Bengal police firmly adheres to the path laid down by law. There is no discrimination for or against anyone in an extra-legal sense.”
Dhankhar said there were no takers for Virendra’s assertions either in the state or outside. “Nothing could be further from the grim reality that the state has become a safe haven to terror, crime, flourishing illegal bomb-making, corruption, resulting in atrocious violation of human rights and the oppressive quelling of all opposition,” he added.
Accusing the state police of bias, the Governor said, “Turning Nelson’s eye to the grim reality, one-sided police actions against a particular set of people in all communal situations are brazenly and overzealously rubbished; as well as unleashing hurtful misinformation campaign on social media, purportedly under ruling party hired specialists; arresting people of particular hue to satiate political whims and allowing others to go on a rampage, even when they are spreading far more intense venomous hatred!”
Following the arrests in Murshidabad, Dhankhar had also criticised CM Mamata Banerjee.
Hitting out at the Governor, Kalyan Banerjee on Monday told reporters that he was “the biggest cadre of the BJP”. The MP added, “He has lost his mental balance and should go for medical treatment. It is the duty of NIA to act on international disputes. It has got nothing to do with state’s law and order issue. The Governor is protecting those who are talking about law-and-order deterioration. If possible then the Governor must be arrested. He is a part of the criminal conspiracy. He must be arrested immediately.”
State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said his party would soon hit the streets to protest against the state of law and order.
“We held a meeting with central party leadership in Delhi recently to discuss the state’s law and order situation. We are making preparations to organise movements against the state government. An atmosphere of fear is being created in Bengal by activating Maoists and Islamic terrorists so that the election is not held in a free-and-fair manner,” Ghosh claimed.
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