Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin criticised West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar for proroguing the assembly without knowing it was done on the advice of WB CM Mamata Banerjee.
In what shocked many political observers on Sunday (February 13), West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar had to remind Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin that the West Bengal Assembly was prorogued only on the advice of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The chain of events started on Saturday (February 12) when West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar prorogued the assembly. In a post put out on Twitter on February 12, Governor Dhankhar said, “In exercise of the powers conferred upon me by sub-clause (a) of clause (2) of article 174 of the Constitution, I, Jagdeep Dhankhar, Governor of the State of West Bengal, hereby prorogue the West Bengal Legislative Assembly with effect from February 12, 2022.”
The next day, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin criticised Governor Dhankhar’s order, saying, “The act of West Bengal Governor to prorogue the WB Assembly Session is without any propriety expected from the exalted post and goes against the established norms and conventions.”
Chief Minister Stalin further said, “The ‘symbolic’ head of the state should be the role model to uphold the constitution. Beauty of democracy lies in extending mutual respect to each other.”
A section of the media had already started calling the Governor’s action ‘undemocratic’. In response, Governor Dhankhar had put out another post on February 12 informing the public that the decision was taken on the recommendation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
“In view of inappropriate reporting in a section of media it is indicated that taking note of govt recommendation seeking proroguing of assembly, Guv in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by article 174 (2) (a) the Constitution has prorogued WBLA w.e.f. Feb 12, 2022,” Governor’s clarification post on February 12 read.
The 68-year-old Tamil Nadu chief minister, who was deputy chief minister from 2009 to 11, criticised the Governor on February 13. What shocked many was the fact that Tamil Nadu’s chief minister’s post reflected his complete lack of understanding of the constitutional procedure. CM Stalin has been in active politics for about five decades now.
Quoting CM Stalin’s post, Governor Dhankhar said, “Find it unusually expedient to respectfully invite indulgent attention of TN CM M K Stalin that his extremely harsh hurtful observations are not in the least in conformity with facts- attached order. Assembly was prorogued at express request of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.”
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has called a meeting of non-BJP chief ministers in Delhi this week.
