The Governor of Tripura Tathagata Roy and Trinamul Congress (TMC) MP Derek O’Brien had a bitter exchange on Twitter over a Kolkata auditorium cancelling booking of an event where Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat was slated to deliver a speech.
The auditorium, Mahajati Sadan, is owned by the West Bengal Government. The organisers of the event, reportedly were informed verbally about cancellation of the booking for the auditorium. The even was scheduled in October.
In a two-part tweet Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy, said, “Mahajati Sadan was booked for Nivedita Mission Trust, in which PP Mohan Bhagwatji was to speak. Booking suddenly cancelled on a langda excuse.”
Reacting to this, TMC MP Derek O’Brien said on Twitter, “Ladies and gentlemen, he is the Governor of an Indian State.”
Not stopping at that Mr Roy further tweeted, “Those who cancelled Mahajati Sadan booking are so sick, no courage to say out loud the real reason. Instead, they give the stupidest of excuses.”
Mr O’ Brien, again taking on the Governor said, “Is this man really the Governor of a State?”
At this Mr. Roy hit out at Mr O’ Brien with a one-liner, “Arrow struck bullseye, huh.”
The exchange did not stop at this. “Oh wow the Governor of a state is not done yet. Now engaging on @twitter with me. Huh! And all,” Mr O’ Brien replied.
Meanwhile, Kolkata Police, stepping into the fight, tweeted, “Reason for denial by Mahajati Sadan authority is 10-day yearly renovation during puja holidays. No renting of hall during the period.”
Governor Roy did not make any comments after the Kolkata Police tweet, giving Mr O’Brien to make a final comment. “Where did the Governor go? Wanted to ask him what the wi-fi speed is like in his Raj Bhavan. Enough fun had. Now going offline,” he tweeted.
When asked for his comment on the Twitter exchange Mr O’ Brien said, “I have said what I have to say, it is a very public exchange. It is up to others to interpret.”
Several calls to the Governor’s Office on the issue went unanswered.
Interestingly, there is no written code of conduct, based on which you can fault a Governor for such a spat. “There are no written code of conduct, there only Constitutional conventions. Honestly, speaking the office of Governor has been on decline for twenty years or so. Governor sparring with Chief Ministers, sometimes openly, is a common occurrence these days,” Constitutional expert, A.G. Noorani said.
