Bengal guv asks speaker to abide by constitutional norms, says 'improprieties' noted in House

Kolkata, Sep 15 (PTI) West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday urged Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee to adhere to constitutional norms, claiming that a number of improprieties took place at the august House, hurting the dignity of the first citizen of the state.

Dhankhar, in a letter to Banerjee, listed occasions where he claimed that there was lack of propriety and caution on the part of the office of the speaker in "reflecting on the office" the governor held.

The governor, who shared the letter on his Twitter handle, further claimed that the speaker had on September 6 made public his reply to a correspondence by Dhankhar.

"As Hon'ble Speaker WBLA put in public domain his Sept 6 communication responding to my Aug 24 communication, even before the same could be received at my end, I find it expedient to put the record straight by way of response attached (sic)," he tweeted.

The governor, in Wednesday’s letter, referred to his addresses to the House being allegedly blacked out in February, 2020 and July 2021 and the Assembly gate being locked during his visit in December, 2019 despite prior intimation from his office, among other such issues.

"I would urge you (speaker) to engage in soul-searching, believe in constitutional essence and spirit and dictate the actions and conduct duly mindful of constitutional prescriptions and propriety demanded by the office you hold (sic)," Dhankhar wrote.

"In the interest of the state and the welfare of the people, it is the duty of all, particularly those in high positions, to set standards and avoid such kind of unseemly spectacle in public domain that lowers the dignity of parliamentary democracy as also the office we respectively hold," he said.

Banerjee had in June complained to his Lok Sabha counterpart Om Birla about the "excessive interference" of Dhankhar in matters related to parliamentary democracy and functioning of the House.

In reply, the governor, who shares a strained relationship with the Mamata Banerjee government, had stated that "nothing can be more unfortunate and distanced from reality". PTI AMR RMS RMS