In an attempt to break the ice between the State government and Raj Bhavan, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday met Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar
“There is an event in the Raj Bhavan in the evening, but we cannot attend it. Therefore, from the Independence Day parade we came straight here without an appointment,” Ms. Banerjee told journalists after the meeting.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha, Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay, Director General of Police Virendra and Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma.
“We came here just for a chat and exchanged greetings on Independence Day,” the Chief Minister said.
Earlier in the day Ms. Banerjee unfurled the tricolor at Kolkata’s Red Road and honoured 25 COVID-19 warriors. She had also tweeted that “Freedom was hard-earned, and we must do all it takes to preserve the basic principles on which this country was founded”.
Ms. Banerjee’s visit assumes significance coming as it does when the relations between Raj Bhavan and the Trinamool Congress government has reached a new low.
Later in the day while paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Gandhi Ghat Barrackpore, Mr. Dhankhar said Centre and State’s two wheels of governance should be in unison. The Governor reminded public servants and government officials to follow prescribed code of conduct, maintain political neutrality and work according to the law.
In a significant statement, he said, “Never go beyond your limitations whatever be the temptations. This applies to me as well as our Chief Minister,” Mr. Dhankhar added.
Responding to questions by journalists the Governor said it would be wrong to presume that the Governor and Chief Minister are going in opposite directions.
“For me the most important words are the words of the elected Chief Minister,” he added.
