Kolkata: West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar — who has had several run-ins with the Mamata Banerjee-led government over the past seven months — will meet Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi Friday to highlight “critical issues” of the Trinamul Congress’ rule in the state. He is also expected to apprise Mr Shah of the “ground realities” he has seen in the state. Mr Dhankhar’s proposed meeting with Mr Shah comes close on the heels of the Union home minister’s day-long visit to the state on March 1.
On Thursday, the Raj Bhavan stated, “The meeting is taking place at the initiative of governor Dhankhar. This will be the first meeting between governor Dhankhar and Union home minister Amit Shah since the former assumed office as the governor of the state of West Bengal. After taking oath of office as governor on July 30, governor Dhankhar had, as per custom, formally called on the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister and Union home minister.”
It elaborated, “Governor Dhankhar has indicated that he has by now been in office for over seven months. During this period, he has been able to get updates from various quarters as regards critical issues of governance in the state. He has also felt the pulse of the people. Governor Dhankhar has indicated that as per his oath under article 159 of the Constitution, he has to do his utmost for the service of the people.”
According to the Raj Bhavan, “In the meeting, the welfare of the people of the state of West Bengal will be uppermost in his mind. He will avail the opportunity of this meeting by apprising the Union home minister of various issues that are relevant and critical to governance in the state. He would obviously indicate areas of conc0ern as also of challenge.”
It added, “Over these seven months, that in several ways have been sufficiently indicative of the state of affairs in the state, he has also come to gather the ground reality by his numerous visits outside the state capital.”
