In a rare occurrence that indicated the deteriorating chemistry between the Bengal Government and Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, the latter on Thursday publicly reprimanded a senior IPS officer of the rank of a Commissioner of Police for reading newspaper while sitting in the front row during a programme organised to offer tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
Not only the Governor chided Manoj Verma the CP but also reminded him about the deteriorating law and order situation of the State.
Sources said while the Governor was on the stage at Gandhi Ghat at Barrackpore where he was attending a programme in memory of the Father of the Nation on his death anniversary the senior police officer was reading newspaper sitting on the first row.
At the end of the programme Dhankhar not only rebuked the senior officer but also told him how the law and situation in the State was deteriorating by the day.
Later he said that “on the solemn occasion of paying tribute to Father of the Nation at Barrackpore,” he was “appalled” seeing how “amidst chanting of religious mantras senior police personnel in uniform in front row kept on casually and freely reading newspapers.”
He wondered as to how “this indecorous act” could be perpetrated by men in uniform.”
The incident comes close on the heels of the Governor being blockaded by the Calcutta University students who refused to let him attend the convocation programme of the university.
The Governor who was invited in the programme and was scheduled to give away awards including the D’Litt degree to Nobel Laureate Abhijeet Vinayak Banerjee was finally forced to leave the venue.
Reacting to the Thursday’s incident State Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Partho Chatterjee said “he is acting out of frustration,” adding “even if a senior IPS officer has to be reminded of his duty there are procedures for that and he should not be humiliated in public.
If such things are done by the Governor then how the officer will be able to mind the law and order situation in the district.”
Another senior leader and Minister Subroto Mukhjerjee said “if I were to get such indecorous behaviour from a person of that stature
I would return the same treatment only four timesstronger.”
