JAIPUR: West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar said the governor has become a 'soft target' and 'punching bag' when the ruling party in a state turned out to be different from that at the Centre. He would be called the 'agent of the Centre' and by many other names.
He was speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on the 'Role of governors and MLAs in furtherance of democracy', organised by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association's Rajasthan chapter in the assembly building on Friday.
'Guv should be given any info he seeks from government'
He said he was not a "proactive governor" as was being called but a "copybook governor" who firmly believes in the rule of law.
Known for his reported differences with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, he said, "But people might not know that I do share a brother and sister kind of personal relationship with the chief minister."
"My job is to protect, preserve and defend the Constitution," he stated. He said the governor was at times a one-man army and even the media stood against him.
"How can the governor and the chief minister fight in public. I have always tried and will continue to cooperate with the government shoulder-to-shoulder, but this cooperation is not possible with one hand. If there is no communication between the CM and the governor, then we will deviate from democracy," he said.
He said that there was a clear provision in the Constitution that the governor should be provided whatever information that he sought from the government. Despite this, no information was provided to him even after repeated requests in the last two-and-a-half years, he said, adding that it was a matter of concern for him and everyone.
Dhankhar said a governor should not be given any work other than his constitutional obligations as it can create a conflict-kind of situation with the state government. The appointment of vice-chancellors is one such sticking point that creates conflicts, he stressed.
"As and when the appointment matter comes to me, I work with my own wisdom. But when the chief minister's suggestion comes, I never apply my mind. I simply agree to the name. Despite this, the governor suffers. A total of 25 vice-chancellors have been appointed without my knowledge and sanction," he said.
"It has been my relentless effort and my main responsibility to support the government as a governor, but it is not possible with one hand," he said.
"Sometimes conflict happens because of ignorance," he said.
Commenting on the recent controversy on February 24 when Dhankhar had summoned the assembly at 2am following a proposal by the Mamata Banerjee cabinet, which was later clarified as a typographical error, he said in a lighter vein, "The government does not want to use the word 'PM', therefore wrote 'AM'." Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Speaker C P Joshi and Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria also addressed the seminar, which was attended by sitting and former MLAs.
