Politics of violence must end: Dhankhar

SILIGURI: Hours after expressing satisfaction at easing of relation with the West Bengal government, governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday said the politics of violence and murders must end in the state in view of the coming elections.

Dhankhar made the statement at Siliguri in north Bengal where he went for a day to attend a few programmes. Dhankhar, who has been at loggerheads with the Trinamool Congress government on multiple occasions, said at a media conference that the state’s name was associated with violence and murders associated with politics and elections.

Earlier in the day at Jalpaiguri, he said, “In the past 15-20 days, my rapport with the state government has picked up. I think, now, we are in the proper take-off stage.”

Later, he took a jibe at state politics, saying: “In last many years, West Bengal’s name has been associated with political and election violence and political murders. These things should come to an end. I believe all are trying to bring this to an end.” He said bureaucrats and policemen should act neutrally.

“It is a constructive suggestion. Our image in the entire country should be of the nature that we will have the most peaceful elections,” he told reporters in Siliguri. Dhankhar’s statement comes at a time when preparations are being made for the civic polls. The assembly polls will be held in 2021.

Education minister Partha Chatterjee, who held a meeting with Dhankhar at Raj Bhawan on Thursday, said: “He said what he wanted to. We don’t want to react on his statements every day.”

GOVERNOR SAID THIS AT SILIGURI IN NORTH BENGAL WHERE HE WENT FOR

A DAY TO ATTEND A FEW PROGRAMMES