Some people using the tongue very loosely: Dhankhar

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday said that some people were using their tongue too often and too loosely.

The governor's remarks come a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sent out a jibe saying some people holding constitutional posts were behaving like “BJP mouthpieces”.

“Some people are using their tongue too often and too loosely. But I will continue to do my duties by serving the people of West Bengal,” said Dhankhar at a time when the relationship between the state government and the Governor is becoming increasingly sour.

He avoided a direct response to the chief minister’s allegation that some were trying to run a parallel administration and the Governor used a cricket analogy saying that one doesn’t play every ball and definitely not a no-ball.

“I have said very often even in cricket you don’t play every ball and surely you don’t play a no-ball. I have received no communication whatsoever so far either from the state government or from its ministers much less the chief minister that my actions are beyond the Constitution,” said Dhankhar.

The Governor also expressed his displeasure over the state government’s refusal to provide him with a helicopter for his trip to Farakka in Murshidabad district for a programme.

Pointing out that distance of 300 km from Kolkata to Murshidabad his office had requested the state government to arrange a helicopter for the trip. However, the state government at first did not provide a definitive response and then turned down the request.

“To keep my commitment as I always do there was no option but to start at 5 am. A communication from the Governor should receive priority as much as if I get a communication from the Honorable chief minister and I will not delay that response more than 24 hours,” said Dhankhar.

As for the allegations by several TMC ministers that the Governor was exceeding his constitutional brief, Dhankhar said that so far he has not received any communication in this regard from any minister let alone the chief minister.

“I have received no communication whatsoever so far either from the state government or from its Ministers much less the Chief Minister that my actions are beyond the Constitution,” said Dhankhar.