Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday rated Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar "more dangerous than BJP mouthpiece" and "more political than a politician" after he alleged that education has been "politically caged" by the ruling Trinamul Congress in the state.
At Raj Bhavan Dhankhar said, "Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another. Education neglect will hurt generation after generation. 'Politically Caged’ education cannot serve wholesome purpose. I find that there is tightening of this political cage in the state."
He also complained of collection of money from the students for their admissions in colleges, the state government's silence to his queries and many vice chancellors' absence at his virtual conference recently.
Retaliating Dhankhar, the CM claimed, "He is acting more dangerous than a BJP mouthpiece. He is making more dangerous statements than that of the BJP. He is talking more political than a politician. Even union home minister Amit Shah does not do it perhaps. The Governor has told me often that he does not even care of the Prime Minister."
She added, "So in that sense, he is not following the PM, the union home ministry and the Constitution. Excess is not good. I also know politics because I was MP for seven times and full-time union ministers. I spoke to him four times on various issues on Wednesday. Several replies were also sent to him for his queries as if we are his servants. Our education minister and chief secretary also met him."
Banerjee also reminded Mr Dhankhar that the Governor, despite being the Chancellor also, is bounded by a 2017-state law to go through the education department to communicate any issue to a university vice-chancellor.
Endorsing her, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Chowdhury tweeted, "Agitation-savvy @MamataOfficial can lodge protest to the Hon President, that the Hon Governor is not complying with constitutional protocols & he should be replaced. Why CM does not have the courage to protest instead of instigating this kind of frivolous act?"
