Bengal’s ruling Trinamool is on war path against Governor KN Tripathi for cautioning the people (read Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee) before making any allegation against the Indian Army.
Senior Minister Partho Chatterjee and MP Sougato Roy attacked the Governor for making his remarks under the aegis of a “particular political party.”
“It is known to everyone why and under whose directions he (Governor) has made such a comment,” Chatterjee, the State Education Minister, said adding the State Government was keeping a close watch on him.”
Veteran politician and Trinamool MP Sougato Roy said the State Government had not taken lightly the statements made by the Governor. “We have taken note of it. He should not have made such remarks,” he said.
The Governor was, however, prompt to react saying, “I am guided by my own conscience.” The war of words came on a day when Bengal BJP said the party might drag the Trinamool chief to court for making “irresponsible and derogatory remarks” against the Indian Army.
State BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said that his party would move the court against Banerjee for “defaming Army.”
Soon after Army personnel were deployed at toll plazas to carry out routine reconnaissance available public carriers which could be requisitioned during hours of need Banerjee cried “coup” and alleged jawans were seen extorting money from truck drivers who were passing through the toll plazas on various national highways.
While many opposition politicians wondered whether the Chief Minister was mixing up men in olive green with men in khaki who function under her own Home Department there was a country-wide uproar against her statement.
Former Army chief General Shankar Roychowdhury even went to the extent of calling her remarks “outrageous and uneducated.”
Subsequently, when the Governor was asked to comment on the statement he said, “every person should take care in making allegations against a responsible organisation like the Indian Army. Don’t let down the Army. Don’t defame the Army.”
Banerjee had earlier sent a large delegation of Trinamool leaders including Ministers to the Governor to register their protest against the Army deployment in various areas of the State which she called a “coup.”
While the Trinamool chief said the Army had not informed the State Government before deploying its personnel Defence Ministry cited letters of correspondence between two sides showing how the State police was very much in the know of things.