Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is maintaining silence over the violence in the state following the Assembly poll results on May 2.
Dhankhar’s comments came after his visit to a camp in Assam’s Dhubri, where several families from West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district have taken shelter to escape post-poll violence.
“There was bloodshed and genocide in the state. I should not say much as the cases are under investigation but the chief minister’s silence is a matter of concern for me,” he told reporters here.
Sources said over 175 people from West Bengal have taken shelter at a Ranpagli school in Dhubri district, bordering neighbouring Assam.
The Governor thanked the Assam government for helping these people.
“I do not want to say much as I am not in West Bengal. However, I would like to express my gratitude to the Assam government for taking care of our people who fled their homes under unfortunate circumstances,” Dhankhar said.
Later in the day, after returning from Assam, the Governor visited Siliguri, where he said: “People in the state are afraid of going to police stations. The police are afraid of workers of the ruling party. I have encouraged them to come back, I’ll take the bullet on my chest. I’ll talk to CM with a positive approach. She got the mandate. CM should leave confrontation.”
He continued, “I don’t understand this government’s constant conflict with all – the Centre, Governor, Election Commission of India and the central forces. We are going in a very wrong direction from which it will be very difficult to return.”
He added, “Sitalkuchi’s incident is unfortunate but they called it genocide & cold-blooded murder. She (CM) formed an SIT after taking the oath and suspended the SP. I want to ask the CM – when the entire state is burning, can’t you see anything else?” he said.
The TMC slammed Dhankhar for making such comments and demanded his removal from the post of the West Bengal Governor. “He is trying to instigate unrest when the situation in the state is peaceful since May 9. He did not visit the houses of those who were killed in CISF firing in Sitalkuchi or of TMC workers who died in violence in Cooch Behar district. We want him to be removed from his post,” says TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said.