‘Initiate action’: Bengal governor to chief secretary on Abhishek Banerjee's 'public targeting' of judiciary

Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar also directed the chief secretary to update him, by June 6, on the progress in the case.

Amid controversy over Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s remarks against judiciary, West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday directed state chief secretary to initiate action and, by June 6, update him about the progress in the case.

West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar (File Photo/ANI)

“Chief Secretary is to initiate all expected action & update by June 6, 2022 regards public targeting of judiciary by Diamond Harbour MP, that can neither be overlooked nor countenanced,” governor Dhankhar wrote on Twitter.

Dhankhar, meanwhile, recalled a similar ‘orchestrated and syndicated’ targeting of a sitting judge by Abhishek Banerjee and others, in September last year. “CS unfortunately failed to take mandated ‘appropriate action’ and has to explain failure by June 6,” he added.

Finally, the governor described two specific quotes from the 34-year-old politician’s speech as a ‘reflection of a mindset not in sync with constitutional essence.’

Dhankhar’s directive to the chief secretary came a day after the former accused Banerjee of ‘crossing the red line’ with remarks against the judiciary. In response, the latter tweeted he has always believed in speaking ‘truth to power’ and that it was, in fact, Dhankhar, who was ‘crossing the red line.’

The ongoing controversy stems from the Trinamool MP’s speech to party workers in Haldia on Saturday, during which, he said, among other things, that a ‘small fraction of the judiciary has turned into a minion.’ He wondered why judges were ordering CBI probe for every case related to the state.