While the situation in Baduria in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas remained tense but under control, the political slug-fest over the Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi 'summoning' Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her subsequent reaction continued for the second consecutive day on Wednesday.
Leader of the Trinamool Congress Legislature Party Partha Chatterjee said that the party has written to President Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister Rajnath Singh expressing strong reservations to Governor's call.
“If the Governor does not express regret over the developments, we will be forced to take strong decision,” Mr. Chatterjee said, adding any attack on Ms. Banerjee will not be ignored.
“We did not expect the Governor to act beyond his Constitutional limitations,” he said.
Defending the Governor, BJP State president Dilip Ghosh said that the Governor was within its rights to speak to the Chief Minster over the developments. He went on to say that it is Ms. Banerjee who should apologise for making the details of conversation between the two public. He also sought to know why the State delayed in seeking central forces.
The Left Front has demanded that all-party meeting be convened on the situation in Baduria and Basirhat. Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP Modh Salim said that it is not a personal issues between the Chief Minister and Government but more important is that peace and amity be restored.
With the TMC mounting its attack on the Governor, experts fear that the situation may create legislative bottle neck.
“It is totally incumbent on the Centre on who will be the Governor and how long his or her term can be. While there has been instances of rift between the Constitutional head, the Governor and head of the Government Chief Minister in the past there has been no instance when Chief Minister has held a press conference against Governor,” Biswanath Chakraborty, head of Department of Political Science, Rabindra Bharati University, said.
Meanwhile, with four companies of Border Security Force (BSF) there was a huge deployment of security forces in the strife-torn areas in State’s North 24 Parganas which has been on boil over the past few days over a Facebook post.
Though the blockades have been lifted shops and commercial establishment remained closed in Baduria and adjoining areas. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC have been imposed in the area. Along with area domination the police and security forces are also making public announcements to maintain peace in the area.
