TMC appeals President Kovind to remove Jagdeep Dhankhar from Governor's post

They alleged that Dhankhar has been making such statements in the public at the behest of the BJP-led government at the Centre to embarrass the TMC government

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday said that it had written to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking removal of West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar for “serious breach” of the oath of his office.

Speaking to reporters TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said that ever since Dhankhar took charge in July he had been commenting against the state government. He also said that the Governor had been “repeatedly transgressing his Constitutional limits” by crticising the state government in television discussions and holding press conferences at the Raj Bhavan.

“In exercise of your power conferred under Article 156(1) of the Constitution of India, you may be graciously pleased to kindly consider withdrawing your pleasure for holding the office of Governor of West Bengal by Hon’ble Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar for a serious breach of oath of his office...” stated letter signed by five TMC MPs including Roy.

It further stated that the governor was “acting at the behest” of the Ministers of the ruling party at the Centre to malign the image of the state government.

“Kindly do take action. It has already gone too far,” the TMC stated in the letter.

Roy said that West Bengal had never witnessed such actions by a governor in its 75-year long history adding that if the governor wanted to raise an issue with the state government he could have done so by following the norms stated in the Constitution instead of tweeting and holding press conferences.

Alleging that the governor had issued “ threats to 25 IPS officers” Roy said that the governor was wrong in stating that it was his responsibility of ensuring free and fair elections in West Bengal which was the responsibility of the Election Commission.

“A Constitutional head chosen by the Central government cannot interfere in the functioning of the State Government in such a manner. It is similar to interfering with the parliamentary system,” said Roy.

Questioning the governor’s action of seeking details of the expenditure of events such as the Bengal Global Business Summit, Roy said that it was the domain of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).

Reacting to the development BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said that the “ Governor was acting as per the Constitution and TMC was resorting to such actions as it was afraid.”