Even as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee publicly expressed her contempt for the Citizenship Amendment Act saying she would never let it come to Bengal, State Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar slammed her saying the people who were on constitutional posts should avoid making unconstitutional statements.
Speaking at a press conference almost at the same time when Banerjee was leading a massive protest march against CAA and NRC on Wednesday the Governor who is also a noted jurist said: “According to the Constitution, the State Government is bound to follow the law. And those who are on Government posts are fully bound by the law of the land.
The Chief Minister took the oath to act according to the Constitution, and this law is part of the Constitution.”
He said “as the Constitutional head of the State I will appeal to the people with folded hands and say that the Citizenship
Amendment Act is not against any citizen of India and it does not deprive any citizen of this country in any manner whatsoever. If any impression is being given that it affects the citizen of the country, it is erroneous, mischievous and misinterpretation,” adding the Act on the contrary to the perception being fanned by the politicians was “giving a healing touch to those who have no other place to go and India is their natural
home.”
The Governor who had earlier summoned the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and the Director General of Police on different days — though none of them responded to his summons — for consultations on the present turmoil in the State, said, “I have no doubt that the Honourable Chief Minister would also enter into a dialogue with me. That dialogue will be beneficial for both of us and it will be in the interest of West Bengal. And it will serve a large constitutional purpose.”