Mamata, Dhankhar trade barbs on Constitution Day

KOLKATA: The acrimony between ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and governor Jagdeep Dhankhar touched another high on Tuesday when the latter, while addressing the state assembly on the occasion of Constitution Day, said the post of the constitutional head of West Bengal has been “seriously compromised.”

“The post of the constitutional head of the state has been seriously compromised. This is an unprecedented and challenging situation. I would call upon lawmakers to ask their conscience,” Dhankhar said.

“In my state, misuse of the governor’s chair is happening like anything,” chief minister Mamata Banerjee said, while commenting on the role of the governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in the government formation in Maharashtra.

“The President is elected, the Prime Minister is elected and chief ministers are elected. But a particular nominated person cannot substitute an elected government.”

In his first speech before the assembly, Dhankhar praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking a “bold step” by nullifying Article 370.

After Dhankhar ended his speech with “Jai Hind” and started walking towards the exit door, legislators started shouting “Jai Bangla, Jai Hind.”

Since Dhankhar referred to Kashmir, Mamata Banerjee said, “Why should Farukh Abdullah be detained for three months? We have a right to ask.”

Without naming Dhankhar, Banerjee said, “He seems to be more aware of Kashmir but has forgotten Bengal.”