Senior leaders including an MP and Ministers of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) met West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday and demanded action against BJP national vice-president and Medinipur MP Dilip Ghosh for making objectionable remarks against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee .
The State’s ruling party has been voicing outrage over the comments made by Mr. Ghosh at a conclave organised by a media group, a few days ago. Mr. Ghosh, while referring to the Chief Minister’s “ Banglar Meye” (Daughter of Bengal) campaign during the last Assembly polls in the State, said that during her visit to Goa she had claimed that she was ‘Daughter of Goa’. The BJP leader then made derogatory remarks against the Chief Minister.
On Wednesday, Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee shared the video of Mr. Ghosh making the remarks. “OUTRAGEOUS! PM @narendramodi, it is ABOUT TIME to get this loose tongue arrested! Is this how @BJP4India leaders talk about the only sitting woman Chief Minister of the nation? Political mud-slinging by the likes of @DilipGhoshBJP continues to REMAIN UNCHECKED. #ShameOnBJP,” Mr. Banerjee said on Twitter.
On Thursday, a TMC delegation comprising MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Ministers Bratya Basu and Sashi Panja met Mr. Dhankhar at the Raj Bhawan. “The manner in which Dilip Ghosh has insulted the Chief Minister, made objectionable remarks on her parents, he should seek unconditional apology,” Ms. Dastidar said. The MP said the Governor who was vocal about his opinion in public domain should issue a public statement condemning Mr. Ghosh.
The eight-member delegation also submitted a deputation to the Governor on the issue. Earlier on June 28, a TMC delegation had met the Governor and raised allegations against Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari.
Mr. Ghosh, however, remained unfazed and said the Trinamool Congress government could arrest him. Mr. Ghosh said the TMC should be ashamed of approaching the Governor, whom they criticise on a regular basis.
Targets State govt.
Soon after meeting with the TMC delegation, the Governor targeted the State government. Speaking to journalists about meeting with the TMC leadership, Mr. Dhankhar said he used the opportunity to press on the TMC leadership about the situation in the State.
“Right now, the situation is that there is an unprecedented violation of human rights. People are in a deep sense of fear,” the Governor said. Mr. Dhankhar while borrowing a phrase from a famous poem of Rabindranath Tagore said that in the State the “mind is full of fear”.
