মুখ্যমন্ত্রীকে নজিরবিহীন আক্রমণ করে রাজ্যপালের দ্বিতীয় চিঠি

যথাসময়ে নবান্নে পৌঁছে গেলো মুখ্যমন্ত্রীকে লেখা রাজ্যপালের দ্বিতীয় চিঠি

কথা দিয়েছিলেন শুক্রবার সকালে মুখ্যমন্ত্রীকে দ্বিতীয় চিঠি পাঠাবেন৷

যথারীতি তা পাঠালেন রাজ্যপাল জগদীপ ধনকড়৷

চিঠিতে রাজ্যপাল লিখলেন :

24.4.2020

Dear Chief Minister,

1.​This is further to the communication sent by me on April 23 as a response to your same day communication.

2. ​As a deference to the supreme sacrifice of daughters and sons of the State that gave us this blessed freedom, I solicit your cooperation to work with you, shoulder to shoulder, as first servant of the State, so as to face the unprecedented Covid 19 challenge and mitigate the untold hardships people of the State are braving. In the state as a farsighted move all political parties have pledged unqualified support to the government. Time also for you to shun politics.

​I can figure out that your entire strategy is crafted to deliberately divert people’s attention from your abject failure in combating and containing Coronavirus in West Bengal. Your appeasement of the minority community was so explicit and awkward that as regards a question about the Nizamuddin Markaz incident by a journalist, your reaction was “Do not ask communal questions.” This is most unfortunate and cannot be appreciated. You will appreciate that a perpetrator can never position as victim.

3. ​Madam Chief Minister, I have all through been working tirelessly for the people of the State and for their cause and welfare, am only a message/phone call away from you. This is time for you to listen to your conscience and abide by the Constitution rather than be driven by external script.

4. ​As it is contextually expedient and of relevance let me remind you of Thomas Fuller’s words over 300 years ago: ‘Be you never so high, the law is above you. ‘ and these have been sanctified by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. I am sure you will heed these pearls of wisdom.

5. ​Our accountability is reflected in our Constitution. As Chief Minister you are to act in accordance with the Constitution and as Governor I have to protect and preserve the Constitution and serve the people of the state. There are Constitutional prescriptions for you that mandate discharge of obligations qua the Governor. There has been consistency at your end in complete disregard of the same, to my great dismay.

6. ​Painfully your actions have been in utter disregard of the Constitution and I have so reminded you- one believing in Constitution and pride of this great state and nation would never even contemplate going for ‘referendum’ by United Nations over Citizenship Amendment Act. You did and I cautioned you then as well.
7. ​Madam Chief Minister, ever remember that I have to be faithful to my oath, and surely I cannot be fiddling in Raj Bhawan when people of the state are stressed. I cannot turn ‘Nelson’s eye’ to serious issues of distressed people.

8. ​I firmly disown your accusations, i.e., I directly attack the Chief Minister, her ministers and officers, my tone, tenor and language are unparliamentary, I hold press conference against the state of which I am governor, repeatedly and consistently interfere in the administration of her ministries and departments are bereft of any factual premise and that is available from your communication. Not a single concrete instance is indicated as regards these. Just have a look, at your convenience, and you’ll fairly concede.

9. ​Madam Chief Minister, these are times to reflect and emulate sublime virtues, values and dreams cherished in ‘Bengal,’ Kolkata in particular, through her great sons and daughters. These dreams and values saw historic fruition in Dr BC Roy, an institution in himself, who fervently delineated what a Chief Mister must be, no one can ever deny.

10. ​Sadly, that is missing on this day when it is needed most. Hence, a reminder from the Governor, in the public, for the larger public good today: his focus – the very well being the people afflicted with Covid pandemic, which this government is trying their best to brush aside. Why take exception to such wholesome public interest concerns !

11.​ Imagine what Dr BC Roy and the like would have done today, to combat Covid! How he would have connected to and empathised with the people of the state, with what energy, honesty, integrity, empathy and commitment! Surely no coercive route ! No violations of human rights ! No politicking ! No loot of public funds ! No PDS politicization and scam ! Madam Chief Minister -reflect for the welfare of the people, your stance on these issues is at the unacceptable other end, and revisitation will be in public interest.

12.​The well meaning and rationally premised wise counsel of eight association of doctors in West Bengal and representation by eminent doctors from West Bengal located all over the globe seeking amends in your approach, would not have been so rubbished or shredded. These, men and women of experience with deep feeling of welfare of the people, acting beyond politics, were talking sense and believe in the welfare of all. Your stance in ignoring this sane advice is most unfortunate. Nationally and globally our actions on this count are putting us to shame. Why iron curtain for ground real time data or situation !

13. ​Madam Chief Minister , Why opposition to a good call?
That is the moot question today.
Is this government, more precisely the person so fondly is called ‘Didi,’ is doing the right thing to her people, which she claims to be the leader of, and ‘an elected Chief Minister of a proud Indian state’? Answer must come from the power that be, to the people in this unprecedented crisis when the humanity needs an outstanding commitment for the government they have chosen and have been funding from the government, for their good.

14. ​How worrisome- ours is the only State where Central Teams whose only role is affirmative and in aid of the State, are made to face unwholesome scenario- in all other states it was seamless. Your cover up “mechanism” would lead to very painful results. Banning of mobile phones inside Isolation Wards is a case in point. Time to reveal the real picture so that our fight against the Coronavirus may be enhanced and sharpened.

15. ​Madam Chief Minister, for the sake of people, whose survival is at stake, disable your political antenna, shun confrontationist approach and be in action mode.

16.​ There is no scope for personal issues: the public good allows only the public concerns. The personal ones must be settled elsewhere. So instead of verbal outburst, action must follow, for the well being of the people, a crying need today. I have ignored in public interest and in the welfare of the people any number of indignities heaped on me by you in particular, including on the sacred floor of the Assembly.

17. ​This is not about ‘Mamata Banerjee’ or ‘her party, AITC’ or ‘Jagdeep Dhankhar’ or ‘Governor.’ This is about absolute focus on what must be done, now.There awaits the catastrophe, if the health care system is persistently ignored; if the Covid cases incessantly coming to the hospitals are consistently denied and suppressed, if the quarantine facilities remain for namesake, if the tests are not allowed honestly, if the frontline health workers are treated inhumanly by not providing them quality PPE and protection from the hooligans; if the medical procurements in this monumental crisis is allowed to be mired in malpractices, if the already politicized PDS is thrown open for wild loot by the unscrupulous people, if the state fails in preparing a lockdown exit policy and if the stranded people are left lurching into uncertainty. And, if the state does not prepare itself for the financial prudence to meet the expenditure for the unavoidable, rather existential needs of the immediate future. There are many ‘ifs’, which people are raising, and being deliberately ignored. Pretention leads to even bigger catastrophe.

18.​ Madam Chief Minister, you have conveniently chosen to give the very Corona a miss in your letter, a disaster possessing the deepest of the uncertainties, devouring the people of this state in unforeseeable ways.

19. ​I will be happy to learn that people of this state have started feeling happy with your actions and deeds in these trying hours.
And, I must not forget to mention: the silence today is louder that the words…in each and every quarter. They count more than you and I utter. And, those who are silently expressing, what must be done and what must not, will punish all those guilty of suppressing and strangling them. They are most powerful…rather they are the power. Rest, what we call a government and various offices exist at their mercy. It is not the time to accuse and counter-accuse.

20.​Major part of your communication quotes Dr BR Ambedkar and Sarkaria Commission report. What a paradoxical situation – invoke Ambedakar to thwart and throttle the Constitution. Recourse to these betrays text book ignorance of the Constitution, and I take this approach as misleading and diversionary.

21. ​When the people of the state are suffering and dying of Covid-19 and hunger due to the unimagined situation fallen on us: let us put the people and their well being first.

22. ​Your communication is part of “alibi strategy” emanates from a script that seeks to cover up ‘monumental failures’ in these challenging times by series of ‘blunders’ while people of the state are suffering untold miseries, media is muzzled, health warriors are stressed and there is virtual suspension of human rights of those not belonging to your party. Emasculation of the administration and police has reached pinnacle as a consequence of their politicization.

23. ​As an escape route you thought of being in your favorite pastime of being in ‘accusatory mode’ and take to streets. Let me indicate in times of such gigantic crisis ‘street fighter approach’ is counter productive and has potential to spell disaster for the people.

24.​Please ask those who may pick courage to show the mirror- how sagacious is it for CM to take mike and broom day after day in this grim situation. Real time action and effective governance are need of the hour -not theatrics or politicking

25. ​Your unConstitutional confrontationist mode against the Governor as also the Central Government is indicative of ‘Law unto Oneself’ or ‘Stand Alone’ approach. Surely this is antithetical to democracy and you practice it. As a painful consequence of this seventy lacs ‘kishans’ have lost about seven thousand crores. This is infliction of cruel joke on ‘Ann-data.’ There is no reason or rationale for these farmers not getting central assistance.

26. ​A history of sorts, though unwholesome, was created when you for days in a row took to streets, virtually abandoning governance, to sustain Anti CAA movement. I had cautioned you that this was contrary to your oath. Crores of rupees were used from the state exchequer for advertisements supportive of your political stance. Such diversion of public funds has been called by many as “loot of the treasury”. Actions of all concerned, including yours, are under scanner before me for way forward. Hon’ble Calcutta High Court is seized of the matter and there is injunction.

27. ​Series of judicial pronouncements indicate the contours of the role of the Governor. Some are thus: “Undisputedly, a Governor is charged with the duty to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and the laws, has a concomitant duty and obligation to preserve democracy and not to permit the ‘canker’ of political defections to tear into the vitals of the Indian democracy,”

“His loyalty must be to the Constitution and to none else and his commitment to the well being of the people of his State.”

“This is specifically a matter which is of great importance. The Governor is competent to ask the Chief Minister to place any matter before the Council of Ministers which one minister might have decided. When he calls for information he will be acting in the exercise of his discretion. He may call for any kind of information. With this power he will be able to control and restrain the ministry from doing irresponsible acts”

I would never ever weaken Constitutional morality or cross lakshman rekha.

28. ​May I in all humility seek details of your assertion of any advice either you or your ministers gave ! There has been no such advice at any stage either by you or your ministers. Let’s not lower public life propriety by engaging in factually wrong assertions. It pains.

May I have the details of interference in your government work as indicated by you. I am sure you will not be in a position to give even one instance.

29.​Your actions are antithetical to the core values of Constitution. Your constant refrain ‘Governor is nominated’ is an affront to Dr. Ambedkar and founding fathers of our Constitution, men and women of eminence and learning who in their sagacity and wisdom provided for this Constitutional office. Governor is appointed and not nominated. He is neither a ‘rubber stamp’ nor a ‘post office’. He has to discharge functions and perform duties of great consequence.

30. ​Your strategy to be in accusatory mode be it Governor or Central Government, emanates from your failure to handle diligently Covid 19 crisis and other burning issues before the people who are in deep distress. Recent violent incident at Baduria in Dist North 24 Parganas over food supply is only a tip of the iceberg of the looming problem.

31. ​If you go through your communication, its striking feature is that it is bereft of any factual content. This is unexpected of the high office you hold. In all fairness you should, as a call of propriety, should have adverted to my tweet immediately after our telephone conversation. You not only lacked courtesy but were also in ‘shouting mode’. This surely is not the way people at our level work. I still kept cool and composed and sent you the message instantly which is thus;

“I do not appreciate outbursts.
Time for composed interaction.
Governor is not expected to be in sleep mode when state is facing stressful challenges.
Why adopt confrontational and adversarial stance qua governor !
Personal rapport should never be casualty.
Would plead again -revisit your approach qua Constitutional head.
Regards”

32.​This contemporaneous message amply reflects my patience and inclination to be in affirmative cooperative mode for the welfare of the people.

33.​I know the mismanagement of Covid 19 combat is virtually in incremental mode given your unfortunate stance to be ‘law unto oneself’ and to be in a bravado mode of collision. State cannot be run like a ‘fiefdom’. It has to be in accordance with the Constitution, for which you have scant regard.

34.​There are Constitutional obligations that you are required to discharge qua the Governor of the State and the same are spelt out in the Constitution and rules of business under the Constitution. There has been complete violation of these at your end inspite of my promptly flagging the issue. Illustratively some of these are :.
(a) Vide communication dated November 19,2019, I in terms of 27 of rules of business sought adherence to the provision and sought details. Your response had no requisite documentation.
(b). Vide communication dates December 02,2019, I raised the issue of Vice Chancellor of Sanskrit University being appointed even without any reference to me. This evoked no response.
(c). On December 16, 2019 I draw your attention to the fact that “ I have been heaped indignities, with your ministers being on rampage with most vituperative language. My Constitutional position compromised. Such numerous issues including total disregard of Article 166 and 167 of the Constitution at your end, and other matters that have been repeatedly flagged to you with no response whatsoever. Even on the current critical situation in the State , I have not been briefed by the State Government at any stage and at any level whatsoever.” There was no briefing.
(d). On December 20,2019 I expressed my utmost pain at your statement when you sought United Nations to hold a referendum on Citizenship (Amendment ) Act. Unfortunately there was no response.
(e). I flagged the issue of worsening education scenario in the state and urged you “ both as Chancellor and Governor to spare time to interact with me.” No response.
(f). On 15 April I sought details fo the Global Advisory Board. No response.

35.​The emerging scenario is that the Government has been incommunicado with the Governor and in accusatory mode in public domain, ever since I took Oath of Office on July 30, 2019.

36.​I am aware that the state is facing several issues that are sought to be side tracked by taking this diversionary recourse. Such approach is anti people. If I have to be faithful to my oath, surely I cannot be fiddling in Raj Bhawan when people of the state are stressed. I cannot turn ‘Nelson’s eye’ to serious issues being faced by the people in this crisis period.

37. ​Lastly I would appeal to you that you have a friend in Raj Bhavan who is ever in cooperative mode to work shoulder to shoulder for public good.

Yours sincerely,

Jagdeep Dhankhar

Hon’ble Mamata Banerjee
Chief Minister
West Bengal
Nabanna
Howrah