Kolkata, Jun 30 (IANS): Days after West Bengal Speaker Biman Banerjee complained of "excessive interference" of the Governor in matters related to parliamentary democracy and functioning of the House to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar shot off a letter to Banerjee terming his allegations as "unfortunate" and "distanced from reality".
Dhankhar in an official statement said, "Such stand, more so in the forum concerned, is not in consonance with the office you hold. Just ponder that not even once you have thought of deliberating the issue, if at all any, with me. Such optics damage the institution we need to nurture and of which I happen to be at the apex as per Article 168 of the Constitution."
Referring to the two Bills that Banerjee alleged the Governor was sitting on, Dhankhar strongly objected saying, "The Dunlop India (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertaking) Bill 2016 which was forwarded to the Governor of West Bengal on 2 March, 2016 was forwarded by my predecessor in terms of Article 201 of Constitution on 10 March, 2016 to the Hon'ble President of India who, after receiving appropriate feedback from the concerned Department and the Chief Secretary, Govt of West Bengal, on 15.01.2019 withheld his consent to the said Bill".
"Accordingly, the Home Ministry, Govt of India informed the concerned Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises & Industrial Reconstruction, Govt of West Bengal that the Hon'ble President has withheld his consent to the Bill determining matter in finality as per Article 201 of the Constitution. There was thus constitutional quietus to the bill even before I assumed office. It is unfortunate and regrettable that even in the face of such a glaring situation you chose to engage in optical misrepresentation and that too without even once advertising to me," he added.
"Regarding the West Bengal (Prevention of Lynching) Bill 2019, after the same was received by the Governor, comprehensive joint representation in respect of the same was received from the then Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the Left Front Legislative party in the Assembly raising inter alia serious procedural lapses. At the same time the Home & Hill Affairs Department dealing with the matter informed that there were certain mistakes in section 7C of the Bill in respect of which the Law Department was asked to brief the Governor," he said.
"I am pained to observe that at each of these stages responses from your end were not only delayed but also evasive and nonspecific in nature which were antagonistic to my specific queries. Since the above-mentioned mistakes in the Bill are yet to be either satisfactorily explained or corrected by the concerned administrative Department, no specific action lies at my end in this regard," he added.
"In view of the aforesaid, I seek your indulgence to reflect on the direction in which we are headed. It is my firm conviction that we need to work in togetherness in a harmonious manner to uphold and justify the essence and spirit of the Constitutional responsibilities that we solemnly carry for ensuring the overall welfare of the people of the state. I also feel that we need to embark on our solemn task by making a fresh beginning with a new conviction and renewed commitment from both of us to serve the people of the state," he said.
Forwarding the same letter to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha to set the record right, Dhankar alleged, "Constrained to invite your attention that on numerous occasions as a consequence of your actions the dignity of the office of Governor was compromised. All were shocked when on a notified visit, I found the Assembly gate locked. On my subsequent visit to the Assembly, your absence was felt. Blacking out from media coverage the Governor's Address under Article 176 of the Constitution was reminiscent of draconian emergency, as subsequent to that there was live coverage of the proceedings concerning Hon'ble Chief Minister and Hon'ble Finance Minister as also others".