West Bengal gov slams Mamata for skipping Vajpayee event

Kolkata: West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday ridiculed chief minister Mamata Banerjee after the Trinamul Congress supremo skipped an event on former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s birth anniversary celebration, keeping him in dark.

Mr Dhankhar informed that he invited Ms Banerjee to unveil a portrait of the late BJP stalwart alongwith him at Raj Bhavan on November 27. But neither any representative nor a message on her behalf was sent for the occasion, according to the governor.

“I told her I was awaiting your response. Unfortunat-ely there was no response,” Mr Dhankhar said.

Ms Banerjee, however, paid her respect to the ex-PM on Twitter. “Tribute to Atal Behari Vajpayee Ji on his birth anniversary. He was a statesman whorose above partisan politics for the country’s good. We miss him a lot,” she tweeted at 10.07 am.

Unveiling Vajpayee’s portrait at the Throne Room of Raj Bhavan at around 11 am the Governor expressed his anguish over the CM’s absence. He observed that the former PM had immense contributions in the Trinamul chief’s political career once.

“I told her I was awaiting your response. Unfortunately there was no response. I can appreciate there can be situations where on a particular day she may not be able to spare time,” Mr Dhankhar said.

He elaborated, “That does not diminish the respect one has for Vajpayeeji. But lack of acknowledgment, response, representation from the side of the government and bureaucracy and message has hurt and pained me. I personally know that from 2001 to 2004, Atalji had contributed hugely to her political career prospect.”
 
The Governor continued, “I will never give up the idea to connect with the constitutional functioneries. The CM is the executive head. I am not saying she had to be here for a moment to unveil. My grievance is not that. She can have a number of occasion for not to be here and she still have highest respect for Atalji more than I have.”

He noted, “I will have the occasion to discuss it with her. Individual scan carries the baggage of the past. But the Governor and CM can not carry the baggage of the past. We can not look back. We have to look ahead because both of us are required to serve the people of the state in our own right.”

Mr Dhankhar added, “She have to perform enormous executive functions. I will never look back that this has happened and therefore I must act in this manner. I close the chapter that is over. My purpose is to move forward.”