Kolkata, The stand-off between the Raj Bhavan and the West Bengal government over the Governor’s address in the state Assembly intensified on Thursday — on the eve of the scheduled event — with the Mamata Banerjee regime turning down the Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar’s suggestions on replacements and additions of paragraphs to the text of the speech approved by the Cabinet.
Sticking to his stand, the Governor said that he had the right to make his suggestions as the constitutional head of the state.
According to the Raj Bhavan, the text of the address to be delivered by Dhankhar to the state Assembly under Article 176 of the Constitution was sent by the government after Cabinet approval on February 3.
“Thereafter the Governor sent his suggestions as regards replacements/additions to certain paragraphs and some additions of new paragraphs to the state government on Thursday morning.
“The stand of the state government on the issue was communicated to the Raj Bhavan in the evening, and the government has taken the stand that the text of the address as already sent is the final text,” a Raj Bhavan release said.
The statement said that Dhankhar had indicated that he would address the issue in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and “that his consistent position all through has been that there has to be strict adherence by all to the Constitution of India”.
“He also asserted that he will never cross the ‘Lakshman Rekha’ and not countenance deviation of the Constitution from constitutional provisions by the executive or any authority in the state,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, interacting with the media in Shantiniketan in Birbhum district, where he inaugurated a rural fair, Dhankhar said that ‘history’ will be made in the Assembly on Friday.
“New history will be scripted as for the first time a Governor born after Independence will address the Assembly for such an address under the Constitution,” he said.
Referring to the government stand on the speech, Dhankhar said it has the full right to put in the address “all that they want”.
“They can put their policies, they can put their impressions, they can put their ideas, they can indicate their achievements. That address duly approved by the Cabinet has been sent to me. As the constitutional head, I have the right to make my suggestions,” he said.
On Wednesday, Dhankhar had hinted at making additions or deletions to the address.
