Mamata Blocks Bengal Guv on Twitter, Dhankhar Tweets His WhatsApp Texts to CM About Harmony

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said she has blocked Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Twitter as she was “disturbed” by his tweets. This comes a day after Dhankar said that Bengal was “becoming a laboratory for the trampling of human rights” and that “people are saying that the state is turning into a gas chamber of democracy”.

“Disturbed by Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar’s tweets, have blocked him on the microblogging platform,” said CM Banerjee said at a press conference, adding that “enough is enough”. Banerjee further alleged that Dhankhar has threatened the chief secretary and the director-general of police on several occasions. She said she has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi several times in the past, seeking Dhankhar’s removal but no action was taken. The chief minister has written four letters to the PM in the past demanding Dhankar’s ouster.

“Every morning and evening, he (Bengal Governor) tweets accusing and attacking us as if he is the only supreme and we are bonded labourers. I cannot take it. I have blocked him today on Twitter,” the Trinamool supremo further said.

Later in the evening, Dhankar took to Twitter and posted what he claimed was his WhatsApp message to Banerjee. Dhankar wrote: ‘WB Guv Message to Hon’ble CM on her WHATSAPP today and read by her at 10.25 am today- ‘Dialogue and harmony amongst constitutional functionaries is essence and spirit of democracy and mandate of the constitution. This can blossom with mutual regard and respect. There has been all through highest personal regard for you from my side. Am sure this will receive your thoughtful consideration. Regards.”

Dhankar and Mamata have been on warpath for the last few years over several issues, but the latest flashpoint appears to have been triggered by Dhankar’s comments on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary on Sunday during which he said that Bengal is “getting drenched” in violence.

“I cannot see the hallowed land of Bengal getting blood-drenched (in violence) and becoming a laboratory for the trampling of human rights. People are saying that the state is turning into a gas chamber of democracy,” Dhankhar had said at Gandhi Ghat on the bank of Hooghly river at Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas district. He also said the situation had become such that the Calcutta High Court had to order the chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission to form a fact-finding committee to probe into allegations of human rights violations in post-poll violence in West Bengal last year.

Reacting to Banerjee’s statement, Trinamool MP Derek O’Brien hailed the move. He tweeted, “Gold. @MamataOfficial Chairperson of @AITCofficial just blocked The-Tweet-A-Minute Governor of Bengal on Twitter. Good. Doing the same. BLOCKING @jdhankhar1.”

Sources told News18 that Trinamool MP Saugata Roy has blocked the Governor on WhatsApp.

BJP Bengal president Sukanta Majumdar, however, said that Banerjee doesn’t want to face questions from the Governor and has, therefore, blocked him. “She is afraid of his questions. The Governor has every right to ask her questions. She wants to run away from him and that’s why she has done this,” he told News18.

The Trinamool Congress is planning to bring in a motion against the Governor in the ongoing Budget session of the Parliament. The party decided on the move against Dhankhar in the wake of him lashing out at the state government yet again on the premises of the legislative assembly last week.

Earlier in the day, Dhankar posted a tweet asking the state government as to why it has been withholding information on several issues from him for the last two years. “Under Article 167 it is Constitution ‘duty’ of the Chief Minister to furnish such information relating to the administration of the affairs of the State and proposals for legislation as the Governor may call for. Why block information to Guv now for two years?,” he wrote.

The Governor’s tweet refers to the information he had sought from the state dispensation on a host of issues, including a probe into the purchase of Covid kits and medical equipment.

(With inputs from Kamalika Sengupta)

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