New Delhi/ Kolkata: While the situation continued to be tense and more clashes were reported from riot-hit Baduria in West Bengal’s North 24 Paraganas district, the war of words between the Trinamul and Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi intensified rather than abating.
Home minister Rajnath Singh had to step in to remind both, the Governor and state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, to maintain “decorum.” In separate telephonic conversations with the Chief Minister and the Governor, Mr Singh also cautioned them not to make public statement about official business and to resolve the issue amicably.
He asked them to focus on improving the law and order situation in the violence-hit district and to submit a report spelling out the steps taken to restore normalcy in the affected areas.
On Wednesday, Trinamul secretary general Partha Chatterjee fired the first salvo in Kolkata. “The governor has crossed the constitutional line,” he said, referring to Ms Banerjee’s accusation that the governor had insulted her.
Raj Bhavan retaliated with a press statement in the evening, its second on the issue in 24 hours, where the governor was quoted as saying that the allegations made against him by the chief minister “amount to insulting and humiliating the governor and his office.”
Accusing the Chief Minister of trying to cover the government’s lapses and divert attention from the real issue, Mr Tripathi said, “Mamata Banerjee’s allegations against me are baseless, they are meant only to emotionally blackmail the people of West Bengal.”
