E-Paper
Bengal’s fight against Covid-19 compromised, says governor Jagdeep Dhankhar
West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar says chief minister Mamata Banerjee looks at issues through the political prism and this resulted in dilution of lockdown protocol, ineffective enforcement of social distancing and holding of banned religious congregations under the very nose of the police.
West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar’s acrimonious relationship with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and chief minister Mamata Banerjee is well known. Dhankar spoke to Tanmay Chatterjee about how he feels Banerjee has failed to control the Covid-19 pandemic. Edited excerpts:
Do you think the TMC government has failed to tackle the Covid-19 outbreak?
Nationally and globally, monumental lapses of Mamata Banerjee in tackling Covid-19 [outbreak] are headlines. Gruesome reports of the disposal of Covid-19 dead bodies from several areas with heartless, indescribable insensitivity is unconscionably shocking. People are traumatised at this callous stance. Their sentiments are outraged and mercilessly trampled. We would never be able to come out of the sordid saga and shame of Dhapa [a garbage dumping ground where Covid-19 victims are cremated]. It will haunt us for long. Bengal, unfortunately, is emerging as a police state with anyone posting on social media to the distaste of the ruling dispensation gets a police knock and thereafter…
Is the state solely responsible for this failure or, did the Centre also react late, as alleged by TMC?
The Prime Minister’s handling of Covid-19 has been nationally and globally appreciated. His consensual approach with statesmanship stance resulted in rare support by the people. Mamata Banerjee is the only CM to be in stand-alone mode.
The Centre has been in affirmative mode. The home ministry’s eye opener communication on April 10 came as a relief to the people. Because of her political antenna being ever up and [her] eye being on vote bank politics, the fight against Covid-19 has been severely compromised.
Do you think the state government tried to conceal the actual death toll by forming the audit committee, as alleged by the BJP?
Right from the word go, the cover up operation to fudge and stagger figures was operationalised.
There is no credibility to the state’s data.Some things are looking up after the IMCT”s catalysed and affirmative action. Yet, much is to be done. After coming under fire from every quarter, she [Banerjee] had to virtually disband the cover up operation [of the] audit committee.
How do you see this as a government’s role in protecting citizens?
This is a cause for serious concern. She looks at issues through the political prism and this resulted in dilution of lockdown protocol, ineffective enforcement of social distancing and holding of banned religious congregations under the very nose of the police.
TMC leaders across the board openly say on television that you speak the language of the BJP. Do you see this as an insult to your Constitutional position?
All of them are playing to the tune of the remote control authority. I lament their lack of freedom. It is an open secret. I have a personal equation with many of them. It is worrisome how these leaders have been emasculated and tamed. Such a spineless stance is a challenge to democracy. A recent phenomenon that is in circulation is that even [their] social media accounts are controlled.
Never before have we seen a Bengal governor writing so frequently on social media on issues that are generally perceived to be internal matters between the state and Raj Bhawan. Why do you do it?
Firstly, social media is a recent phenomenon and thus comparison is inappropriate. Nationally and globally you will notice people in public life using social media. Taking to social media per se should not be an issue. I would be enlightened if content thereof is inappropriate. No one has so far said so. I can’t help if there is fear of truth. I am motivated only by the welfare of the people, whom I am constitutionally ordained to serve.
Trinamool Congress leaders and even some from the Congress and Left parties say no governor behaved with the state government the way you do. Do you think your predecessors never found any reason to point out to the government that they were doing anything wrong?
Earlier governors too got the taste of her [Banerjee’s] mercurial behaviour. I adhere to the script of the Constitution while she acts on an external script. I have never transgressed constitutional limits and no such act has ever been pointed out to me by the government.
There are no takers for her recent stance that the governor is making efforts to usurp powers. All these are diversionary tactics to cover up her monumental lapses, particularly during the Covid-19 [outbreak].
