Bengal Guv appeals to Civil Society, intellectuals to protest against violence & corruption

KOLKATA: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, on Wednesday, appealed to the members of the civil society and intellectuals to protest against the ongoing violence and corruption in the state.

After playing floral tributes at the statue of Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his birth anniversary, Dhankhar said that the "appeasement politics and patronising communalism were the two biggest dangers" for West Bengal now.

"The Constitution of India speaks of equality in treatment and rights. The Union government is exactly doing that. But West Bengal has become a laboratory for destruction of human rights and democracy. I appeal to the intellectuals and members of the civil society to come out of their slumber against this culture of extortion, corruption and violence. I am deeply saddened by their silence," the governor said.

He also pointed out that even the Calcutta High Court had once observed that in West Bengal the excesses of the syndicates and events of extortion have become rampant. "It is high time, all people with good senses prevailing should come together and resist such menaces," the Governor said.

Speaking on the occasion, the Governor described Syama Prasad Mookerjee as the "true martyr of Bharat Mata" and a "true patriot".

"Jammu & Kashmir is an inseparable part of India. A situation almost evolved that Jammu & Kashmir was about to be separated from India. Its was his philosophy that resulted in the abolition of Article 370. It was because of Syama Prasad Mookerjee that West Bengal was born," Dhankhar said. Reacting to the comments of the Governor, veteran Trinamool Congress leader and three- time Lok Sabha member, Saugata Roy said that it was nothing new that the Governor was behaving like a spokesman of a particular political party.

"He is acting beyond the constitutional limits and in a sense maligning the chair of the governor. We have great respect towards Syama Prasad Mookerjee. I feel that the position of governor is nothing but a white elephant and this post should be abolished immediately. I am sure that Syama Prasad Mookerjee himself would have expressed a similar opinion," Roy said. (IANS)

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