The attack on BJP president J P Nadda’s convoy became a fresh source of tension between the Centre and the West Bengal government as state Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay wrote to Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla urging him to “dispense with” the presence of state government officials at the scheduled meeting with him, indicating they would not attend it.
The meeting was scheduled on December 14 in Delhi. The development comes after the Union Home Ministry asked the state’s Chief Secretary and director general of police Virendra to come to Delhi to explain the law and order situation in the state.
The Union Home Home Ministry’s decision came following West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar’s report over the attack on BJP president J P Nadda’s convoy at Diamond Harbour on Thursday.
“I request you to kindly dispense with the presence of the State Officials in the meeting, considering that the State Government is addressing this issue with utmost seriousness,” stated Bandyopadhyay.
The Chief Secretary wrote that “elaborate arrangements” were made, including providing a bulletproof vehicle and a pilot to Nadda. He said tagging of many vehicles with the convoy made the “situation unwieldy”.
TMC MP Kalyan Bandopadyay said the Centre had no legal authority to summon the Chief Secretary and DGP.
Published 12 December 2020, 01:53 IST