West Bengal: Fresh war of words erupts between Mamata, Guv Dhankhar over handling of COVID-19 pandemic

A fresh war of words erupted between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar Thursday after the former wrote a scathing letter accusing Dhankhar of repeatedly interfering in the functioning of the state administration.

In a strongly worded five-page letter to the governor, which Mamata released to the public, she asked him to judge who has "crossed the limit of constitutional dharma and decency" between the two constitutional functionaries.

Soon after, Dhankar responded in kind and reminded Mamata of her "Constitutional obligations in relation to me."

The communication comes in the backdrop of Dhankhar repeatedly voicing concern over the way the state government has been tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the letter, Banerjee said Dhankhar has forgotten that she is the "elected chief minister of a proud Indian state" whereas he is a nominated governor.

"You have to judge for yourself, whether your direct attacks on me, my ministers, officers, your tone, tenor and language, which in mildest words of extreme moderation, deserve to be characterized as parliamentary, your holding press conferences against the state government of which you are a governor, your repeated and consistent interference in the administration of my ministries make it clear as to who has flagrantly transgressed constitutional dharma," she wrote.

She claimed that the governor's conduct does not conform to even basic norms of decency between constitutional functionaries.

Attaching the transcript of a text message sent to her by the governor, Mamata said the tone, tenor, and language was unprecedented. She also annexed a two-page letter from Dhankhar where he had castigated her government.

"Your expostulation leaves me with no option but to release these letters in the public domain to leave it to the people of this state and of this nation to judge for themselves as to who has done what and who in breach of elementary norms of constitutional behaviour," she said.

Immediately on receipt of the letter, Dhankhar tweeted, "A communication @MamataOfficial has been received. Outrageously factually wrong and constitutionally infirm. My initial response will be shared with the media around 7.45 PM today. And a final one tomorrow at 11 am. People of the state need to know the real picture."

In his immediate response to Mamata, the governor wrote, "This response be taken as initial one and a thorough one will be imparted to you tomorrow with complete documentation so that people of the state, as you say, are made aware and come to know the series of acts of indignities and indiscretions heaped by you, your ministers on the Governor all through. Your constant refrain of governor being ‘nominated’ is lamentable and can be ascribed only to elementary ignorance of the Constitution."

Reminding Mamata of her oath as the chief minister as well the oath taken by him, he "spelt out" Articles 166 and 167 of the Constitution and Rules of Business 27 and 30 at the end of the letter.

"You will gather from all this that there has been an outrageous, flagrant disrespect of Constitutional prescriptions and Rules of Business at your end and that of your officials," he said.

"If I go by your response, I should be in “sleep mode”, totally non-functional, confined to Raj Bhavan and await the end of COVID 19 pandemic, so that you may spare time for interaction with the Constitutional head. This reading of the Constitution at your end or by your advisors is not shared by me and goes against the essence, letter and spirit of the Constitution," he wrote.