Siliguri, Dismissing the Trinamool Congress’ charge that he was running a parallel government in the state, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday alleged that while the Chief Secretary has not called on him for 50 days, he was still waiting for the Chief Minister to brief him on cyclone Bulbul which left a trail of destruction in several districts of the state earlier this month.
Interacting with mediapersons in this north Bengal town, Dhankhar countered the Trinamool’s allegation that Governors were being appointed as agents of the Central government, saying the Constitution has indeed given the role of the Governor as an agent of the Centre.
“If I was running a parallel government, then from the airport to the circuit house (in Siliguri), I have seen huge cutouts of the honourable Chief Minister… They would have been mine. I dismiss the charge,” Dhankhar said.
Earlier in the day, Trinamool Congress’ Sukhendu Sekhar Roy attacked Dhankhar in the Rajya Sabha, charging him with running a parallel government in the state, and asking him to join politics by quitting the Raj Bhavan.
“Don’t become a ‘Rajneetipal’ when you are a ‘Rajyapal’ (governor)… Governors are being appointed as agents of the Central government,” Roy said in a hard-hitting speech.
Giving a rejoinder, Dhankhar targeted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the state’s top bureaucrat.
“The Chief secretary of the state has not found time to call on the Governor for 50 days now… Honourable Chief Minister, under the Constitution, is required to brief the Governor on important developments in the state.
“And we have had several important developments. Surely, Bulbul is one. I am waiting for the Chief Minister to find time to brief the Governor on these.
“There are some other issues, but I don’t want to go into them. But Bulbul is one. I am sure all of you will agree that the Governor of the state should be briefed about Bulbul by the honourable Chief Minister,” he said.
Dhankhar arrived here on Monday morning to inaugurate the All India Police Archery Championship being organised by the Sashastra Seema Bal.
“The Governor is certainly an agent of the centre, as everyone says. The Indian Constitution has given the role of the Governor as an agent of the Centre. You go to all commissions, it is there. I am a bridge between the Centre and the state,” he said.
Since taking charge in end July, Dhankahr has been at loggerheads with the Mamata Banerjee-led state administration on a host of issues, leading to almost daily bickerings between them.
