Governor pushing the views of BJP: Kalyan Banerjee

Kolkata: Kalyan Banerjee, Trinamool Congress MP and Chief Whip of TMC Parliamentary Party accused Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar for being "vindictive towards Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her council of ministers" and pushing the views of BJP at a time when the Prime Minister has sought cooperation from every person to fight against COVID-19.

In a letter addressed to the Governor, Banerjee maintained: "It is disturbing at this point of time when the Hon'ble Prime Minister is requesting every state government and also the citizens of the country to fight out together and meet the challenge in our country, you have adopted a completely different pathway cobbled with animosity." He further accused that the Governor was using the social media, print and electronic media to settle his personal vendetta.

Banerjee said that his recent statement that the Chief Minister was "trying to appease the minorities", clearly establishes that the Governor is "acting as a loudhailer of the ruling party at the Centre." The MP added: "this was an indirect method of spreading communalism and inciting disharmony in the state."

Banerjee, who is a well-known lawyer of the Supreme Court, said that the government's functions have been clearly laid down in the Indian Constitution.

"The appointment of the Governor is made under Article 155 of the Indian Constitution, not by way of an electoral process, but by a warrant issued under the hand and seal of the President. The Governor is to hold his office under Article 156, during the pleasure of the President. Since the President exercises his functions on the aid and advice of the Prime Minister and his Council of Ministers, the tenure of the Office of the Governor has also to coincide with the aid and advice of the Chief Minister and his/her Council of Ministers," Banerjee wrote.

The various provisions of the Constitution leave no room for any doubt that the "Governor cannot seem to have such powers and functions, as would assign to him a dominating position over the state executive and legislature. The Constitution does not give the Governor any significant role in the executive and legislative functioning of the state," he added.

Banerjee commented that the Governor is neither an employee nor an agent

of the Centre. Governors

are expected to be apolitical, discharging clearly Constitutional functions irrespective of their earlier political background.

Once they become Governors, they are expected to owe their allegiance and loyalty to the Indian Constitution and not to any political party and is required to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution, said the MP, requesting the Governor to refrain from putting up posts on the social media having political undertones in this critical environment.