Voters lack freedom in state, democracy threatened: Bengal Governor

The governor said that post-poll violence observed in the state has been of an ‘unprecedented’ level

Voters in West Bengal lack freedom to exercise their rights, and democracy is ‘deeply threatened’, claimed Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar.

While Dhankhar actively shares his opinion on Twitter on matters concerning state administration, the above remarks were made by him after he paid floral tributes to Dr BR Ambedkar statue in the precincts of the state assembly.

“Today is Voters’ Day… Voter is the most important stakeholder in democracy. Democracy thrives sustains and blossoms only on the strength of voter. If a voter independently, fairly, fearlessly exercises his right, that is a sense of democracy. I am sorry to tell you, in (the) state of West Bengal the voter does not have that freedom. That freedom is totally missing,” he alleged.

The governor claimed that post-poll violence observed in the state has been of an ‘unprecedented’ level, where people who dared to vote as they wished had to part with life.

"The violence of that gravity, arson, loot, rape, killings (is) unheard of. We were put to shame before (the) national and global community”, he said.

“The democracy is imperiled. Democracy is deeply threatened if the voter doesn’t enjoy this right uninterruptedly,” he added.

Governor Dhankhar also expressed reservations about the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. Referring to the Speaker's response to his queries, the governor said that he will not stand such indiscretions. He warned of legal consequences if the Speaker henceforth ‘blacks out’ the governor's address . “He uses language in writing to Raj Bhavan which is shameful to the office… Let me clear to you all, no file is pending with the governor, either with respect to a bill or with respect to any government recommendation,” he added.

Reacting later, Speaker Biman Banerjee expressed shock at the comments made by the governor on such an occasion. The Speaker said that while the governor will work in his capacity, he as the Speaker will work in his capacity. If the governor wanted to address a press conference, he could have done so at the Raj Bhavan, he added.

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