Calling the violence that unfolded in Bagtui village, Rampurhat, a “shocking carnage” and “ghastly crime”, governor Jagdeep Dhankhar today accused chief minister Mamata Banerjee of resorting to diversionary tactics and claimed that her assurance that peace prevails in Bengal barring some sporadic incidents, is “farcical”.

The governor was reacting to Miss Banerjee’s accusation that he is maligning the state government with unwarranted statements. Mr Dhankhar today wrote to her that it is wrong on part of the chief minister to think that the governor will sit ideal when a grisly carnage shook the state where an entire family was burnt alive.

“In the face of such enormity, I cannot ‘fiddle’ in Raj Bhawan and be a mute spectator. That would be an unpardonable abdication of my constitutional duty.” Further, Mr Dhankhar said the chief minister’s actions are dictated by “political overtones”.

“Nothing can be more farcical than your claim our state is always peaceful, barring a few sporadic incidents. Post-poll violence exposed by the NHRC panel reveals the prevalence of rampant violence culture and decimation of human rights. NHRC panel observation that in West Bengal, Law of the ruler, not Rule of law, is just reflection of open secret ground reality” he wrote.

He alleged that the state government is trying to shield the guilty in this ghastly crime and its assurance to make all-out efforts to unearth those behind the occurrence of the incident is a far cry from reality.

“There can just be no credibility for the SIT, headed by Gyanwant Singh, suffering judicial taint and condemnation. SIT is being taken as a cover-up operation to provide an escape route to rogue elements. ‘Men Friday’ in probe are cut out for ‘hatchet work’ and not fair independent investigation.”

He reminded that “in a state suffering unchecked rampant political violence, arson, extortion and murders, a chief minister, claiming to be the protector of democracy, should have minimally acted against the known dreaded musclemen, who only survive on state patronage.”

The governor said that no state has elections dotted by violence, politicized police and bureaucracy and governance distanced from constitutional norms and rule of law, like that of West Bengal.

Dhankhar warned that it is high time the chief minister revisits her “confrontational unconstitutional stance and paves the way of functioning in togetherness so that democratic values & human rights get restored and people get a reprieve from repressive fear and suffering