COVID-19: Mamata Banerjee in sharp retort quotes Ambedkar & Sarkaria Commission to remind Governor of his “role”

In what is perhaps unprecedented in the politics of West Bengal in recent times, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday reacted sharply to Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar’s recent message, letter and comments in the media on her, and reminded him of his “role” by quoting BR Ambedkar and the Sarkaria Commission.

In a message to her on April 22, Dhankhar had written – as mentioned in Banerjee’s letter – “Dear Chief Minister, Your response yesterday has enormously shocked me. It is insulting to the office I hold. We both are constitutional functionaries in the state. It is not a fiefdom of an individual to be run in a whimsical manner. Your response makes the position of constitutional head irrelevant. THIS IS NOT SO. I have over the months taken all indignities in a spirited manner hoping there will be amends. This letter dashes my optimism. My patient mode and accommodating approach has been appropriately evaluated at your end… please call me URGENTLY as in this crisis period of immeasurable dimensions I would do my utmost to avoid a formal response to this most unthoughtful unconstitutional communication. Regards Jagdeep Dhankhar.”

Banerjee wrote that in the said letter she had mentioned that “You would, no doubt appreciate that the entire State Government machinery is now engaged to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.” [Read entire letter below] She said that the Governor seemed to “have forgotten that I am an elected Chief Minister of a proud Indian state” and “You also seem to have forgotten that you are a nominated Governor”.

The Bengal CM quoted BR Ambedkar’s words in the Constituent Assembly on May 31, 1949, where he said: “We felt that the powers of the Governor were so limited, so nominal, his position so ornamental that probably very few would come forward to stand for election.”

Banerjee mentions that the Sarkaria Commission had recalled the Constituent Assembly considering whether or not there should be an “elected” Governor, and that it was recognised that the co-existence of an elected Governor and the Chief Minister might lead to friction and “consequent weakness in administration”, and therefore the concept of an elected Governor was given up in favour of a nominated one. The Sarkaria Commission had recommended that “It is desirable that a politician from the ruling party at the Union is not appointed as Governor of a State which is run by some other party or a combination of other parties.”

Pointing out these, Mamata Banerjee added in her letter that the Governor must judge for himself “as to who has flagrantly transgressed constitutional dharma and even basic norms of decency between constitutional functionaries”.

The copy of the letter Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on April 23.