West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday she had blocked governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Twitter as she was disturbed by the latter’s posts on the microblogging site.
Stating that phones are being randomly tapped, Banerjee compared the crisis with the raging Pegasus spyware controversy that is likely to have an impact on the ongoing Budget session of Parliament. "Pegasus is being done from the Raj Bhavan," she said.
According to a report, Banerjee said the governor, who has been the sharpest critic of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, is "threatening the chief secretary and director-general of police”.
"I have been forced to block governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Twitter. Everyday he was issuing tweets targeting and threatening government officials as if we're his bonded labourers," Banerjee said, while addressing a press conference in Kolkata.
Soon after, the governor took to Twitter and said under article 159 of the Constitution, “Mandated… to ensure none in the state “blocks” Constitutional Norms and Rules of Law and those in authority bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India”.
{{/usCountry}}Soon after, the governor took to Twitter and said under article 159 of the Constitution, “Mandated… to ensure none in the state “blocks” Constitutional Norms and Rules of Law and those in authority bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India”.
{{/usCountry}}He further wrote that under Article 167, it is the constitutional “duty” of the chief minister to furnish such information relating to the administration of the affairs of the state and proposals for legislation as the governor may call for. “Why “block” information to Guv now for two years ?” he added.
The chief minister said she had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi several times, seeking the removal of Dhankhar, however, "no action has been taken so far".
Banerjee shares an acrimonious relationship with the governor. Both leaders have criticised each other over multiple platforms in the past.
Earlier in the day, TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay said he had requested President Ram Nath Kovind to remove Jagdeep Dhankhar from the state. Bandyopadhyay said Vice President Venkaiah Naidu was also present when he made the appeal.
On Sunday, in a fresh attack on Banerjee, Dhankhar said democracy survives on rule of law and not the rule of an 'individual' and that the Bengal CM was refusing to sit for talks with him. "Democracy survives on rule of law, not the rule of an individual. I hope she (West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee) looks into it. She is mandated by the Constitution to sit for a dialogue with the governor," he said.