Bengal guv retorts to TMC allegation

A day after state parliamentary affairs minister Partha Chatterjee charged Bengal governor Keshari Nath Tripathi of overstepping his jurisdiction, the latter asked the TMC leaders to carry out an introspection of their own actions.

Chatterjee had accused Tripathi on the state assembly floor of “tarnishing” his constitutional position by writing to a senior official in Malda district, bypassing the state government in the process.

“My message to the minister is this: You have made many strong statements. Now, please stop targeting the governor’s office,” the governor told the mediapersons at a university convocation.

The governor also asked Chatterjee to introspect before pointing fingers at him. “Look at yourself in the mirror first to check if there’s any dirt on your face,” he said. The advice, however, was not well-received by the Trinamool government.

“He is speaking of dirt on our faces. But I want to know what he thinks of those who are trying to deprive the people of their democratic rights, even dictating them on what to eat. Who will wipe their faces?” urban development minister Firhad Hakim told mediapersons on the state assembly premises.

Over the last two days, Parliament has witnessed protests by party MPs against the governor’s alleged attempts to bypass the state government in administrative matters.

Trinamool MP Derek O’ Brien even moved an adjournment motion in the Rajya Sabha to highlight how Tripathi allegedly violated the federal structure by directly asking the Malda divisional commissioner to call a meeting of district-level officials and police to review the working of state and central development schemes.

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