West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has expressed unhappiness over the Trinamul Congress-led state government for allegedly not following protocol after no state government official turned up when he met family members of Indian Army man Bipul Roy, who made the supreme sacrifice at Galwan Valley in Ladakh, in his village in Bindipara in Alipurduar district.
Mr Dhankhar and his wife, Sudesh Dhankhar, were accompanied by Lieutenant General Anil Chauhan, the Commander of the Eastern Command of the Indian Army and his wife Anupama Chauhan, to Roy’s house where they paid homage to the martyr, offered condolences and expressed heartfelt gratitude for his sacrifice in the line of duty.
The Governor, on behalf of Raj Bhawan, handed over financial assistance of Rs 5.5 lakh each to Roy’s widow and his mother.
“The Indian Army prides itself on being a close knit family bound by camaraderie and considers it as its bounden duty to look after its personnel and their families,” the Army later said in a release.
On his return journey, Mr Dhankhar interacted with media persons in Siliguri.
“It is unexpected. There was no one present as a representative of the state government as the Constitutional Head of the state is present. This is not appropriate. It is required of the administration to be present. The absence is not adorable,” he said.
The Governor touched upon several subjects related to the law and order situation in West Bengal, and questioned how democracy could be ensured and how free and fair elections can be conducted in the state. He also highlighted “targeted killings, doubts about freedom of the Press, the state government’s attitude with alleged political vendetta and a lack of good governance in West Bengal.”
“The law and order situation in West Bengal is very alarming,” Mr Dhankhar said, citing some incidents, including the recent arrest of a group of people from Murshidabad who were allegedly associated with Al Qaeda and even Maoists.
“I am not concerned about politics and political attitude of the government, but I am concerned about governance and rule of law,” the Governor said, adding, “A rape incident is happening every hour in Bengal.”
“All opposition parties want free and fair polls in Bengal without violence,” he said, when he was asked to comment on whether President’s rule is needed to conduct violence-free polls. He also hinted at a plan to conduct polls “systematically” in Bengal “so that the image of the state is not maligned in the international arena.”
Expressing shock over the absence of the District Magistrate and the Police Chief, Mr Dhankhar did not hesitate to sat that they had been working here politically and violating protocols. He cited examples of how he had sought few clarifications from Nabanna.
“I invoked Article 266 and asked the CM; nobody listens. I did not get a single reply,” he said. Mr Dhankhar also expressed doubts on the ‘freedom of Press’ in West Bengal, categorically differentiating the positive role of journalists, and raised questions on such freedom.
He also pointed out how a Hindi daily interviewed him and later did not publish his interview.
On the Hill affairs after the Union Home ministry called a tripartite meeting in Delhi on 7 October, where the state did not take part, Mr Dhankhar said: “Bharat badal raha hai. India is changing under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. When Article 370 has been abrogated and Ram Temple issues have been sorted out, all issues will be resolved gradually under the leadership of PM Modi.”
The Governor will be visiting Darjeeling soon, it is learnt. Mr Dhankhar also said that a portrait of Prince Chila Roy, the younger brother of King Naranarayan of the Koch Dynasty, will be unveiled at Raj Bhawan soon after the portraits of Syama Prasad Mukherjee and Atal Bihari Vajpayee were unveiled after he was appointed the Governor.