Raj Bhawan is under surveillance: Dhankhar

KOLKATA: West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday said the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata was under surveillance, drawing a sharp rebuttal by the ruling Trinamool Congress.

Dhankar alleged that a guest list for an Independence Day event at Raj Bhawan was leaked “electronically” on August 14.

“Raj Bhawan is under surveillance. This should not happen. How can an office of the Constitution be under surveillance?” he said, without elaborating.

“I have initiated a very serious, critical probe into it. Sanctity of Raj Bhavan’s functioning has to be kept intact,” he said. Dhankhar was addressing the media a function at Raj Bhavan to mark the second death anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

He expressed “pain” at chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her cabinet colleagues not attending the customary At Home event hosted at Raj Bhavan. Dhankhar said less than 35 guests were invited in view of Covid-19.

Dhankhar, who has been at odds with the Trinamool Congress government over a host of issues, also alleged that there was lawlessness in the state.

The TMC said the allegations were unfounded.

“If he thinks that he is under surveillance, then he should give proof. The guest list is no secret. Any employee of Raj Bhavan could have accessed it,” said TMC Lok Sabha member Saugata Roy.

In a rebuttal to Dhankhar’s allegation that Banerjee set a “bad precedence” by not attending the August 15 programme, Roy said the chief minister visited Raj Bhavan after the flag-hoisting event at Red Road with the chief secretary, home secretary and other top officials.