Constitutionalism is a well-recognised principle of Indian democracy and jurisprudence. Respect for constitutional bodies and authorities is an inalienable part of this principle. The TMC, however, seems to be making an absolute mockery of this principle even as the TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister, as well as party’s Rajya Sabha MP have made an absolute mockery of the office of the Governor of West Bengal.
Derek O’Brien, a controversial MP of the Mamata Banerjee led party has created yet another controversy. He tweeted an utterly disgraceful and disrespectful remark about the West Bengal Governor calling him a “clown”. Such crass remarks show the disgraceful character of the ruling party in West Bengal and its disrespectful nature towards the Constitutional authorities. West Bengal Governor, Jagdeep Dhankar, however, did not lose his calm and replied to him in a rather graceful manner.
https://twitter.com/jdhankhar1/status/1206599956636680192
Derek O’Brien has only exacerbated the crisis situation in West Bengal created by West Bengal CM, Mamata Banerjee’s confrontational attitude towards the Governor of the state, Jagdeep Dhankar. Earlier this month, the West Bengal Governor was made to wait outside the state legislative assembly as the door designated for the Governor’s entry was locked. He had to enter the Assembly through another gate. Speaking about the shameful incident, Governor, Jagdeep Dhankar said, “When I came here the gate meant for Governor & other VVIPS was closed but I went inside through a gate that was opened. Assembly Secretariat is opened throughout the year, assembly not being in session does not mean that the secretariat is closed.”
WB Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar: When I came here the gate meant for Governor & other VVIPS was closed but I went inside through a gate that was opened. Assembly Secretariat is opened throughout the year, assembly not being in session does not mean that the secretariat is closed. https://t.co/c4nUq1Pj2J pic.twitter.com/0jNeb32M7j
— ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2019
West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee has continued with her unnecessary and ugly confrontation with the constitutional authority. The situation has only further deteriorated following an exchange of strongly worded letters between the TMC chief and the West Bengal Governor. The West Bengal Governor had tweeted, “I am extremely anguished that CM and Ministers are to spearhead rally against CAA, law of the land. This is unconstitutional. I call upon CM to desist from this unconstitutional and inflammatory act at this juncture and devote to retrieve the grim situation.”
However, the West Bengal CM paid no heed to the Governor’s warning and went ahead with the rally. Going a step further, she wrote an inappropriate and strongly worded letter to the West Bengal Governor, in which she accused the latter of “aggravating the situation” and also asked him to “cooperate to maintain peace”. She did not stop here and said, “Constitutional obligation in my view is to support the state government machinery to maintain peace and harmony rather than aggravating the situation by provoking the elements who may attempt to disturb the order and tranquillity.”
https://twitter.com/jdhankhar1/status/1206385868606341120
Mamata Banerjee’s strongly worded letter has violated treasured traditions of dignified communication with constitutional authorities. The crisis in West Bengal has now got further aggravated. Writing back to Mamata Banerjee, Dhankar stated, “Your reflections are far from fact situations and would urge you to engage in soul searching.” He also complained of how he has “heaped indignities”, with the Ministers in the TMC government going “on rampage with most vituperative language”.
In his letter, the West Bengal Governor has also revealed that he was kept in dark about the ongoing situation in the state, which shows that the TMC has made a mockery of the office of Governor. Thus only further corroborates the fact that the West Bengal government is functioning against the spirit of the Constitution and needs to be dislodged through the imposition of President’s Rule.