TMC MPs urge Rajnath to resolve issue of constitutional impropriety

Apprising the Home Minister about their grievances against the governor, a delegation of TMC members, which was led by parliamentary party leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay, submitted a memorandum to the Home Minister.

The TMC delegation met Singh in Parliament House and alleged that Tripathi had bypassed the state government in seeking to convene a meeting on law and order.

Bandyopadhyay alleged that the meeting was sought to be conducted without the knowledge of the state government. "Since law and order and other such issues are exclusively within the domain of the state government, it is expected that a constitutional authority will not bypass its jurisdiction in this manner," Bandyopadhyay told reporters after meeting Singh.

The party, which raised the matter in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, alleged this was done on the "instruction" of the Centre. The TMC leaders urged the Home Minister to resolve the issue of "constitutional impropriety".

However, Bandyopadhyay claimed that Singh had assured them that he would look into the matter. The MPs told Singh the additional chief secretary to the governor had written a letter to the Malda divisional commissioner on January 31 asking him to inform the Inspector General of Police of Murshidabad to be present at a meeting convened by the governor on the law and order situation in the district and border areas and other issues.

The confrontation started on Tuesday when West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee attacked Tripathi at Assembly for allegedly flouting the Constitution by writing a letter and interfering in the working of the government.

TMC MP Derek O'Brien gave a notice under Rule 267 to discuss the matter in Rajya Sabha. However, TMC's plea was turned down and the house was adjourned when O'Brien protested over the matter during "zero hour".