Mamata Banerjee gives Atal event a miss

Kolkata: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday hit out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after the Trinamul supremo skipped an event related to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birth anniversary celebration, keeping him in dark.

Dhankhar said that on November 27 he had invited the Chief Minister to unveil a portrait of the late BJP stalwart alongwith him at the Raj Bhavan. But the CM was conspicuous by her absence at the event. Neither any representative nor a message on her behalf was sent for the occasion, he said.

Banerjee, however, paid her respects to the ex-PM on Twitter. “Tributes to Atal Bihari VajpayeeJi on his birth anniversary. He was a statesman who rose above partisan politics for the country’s good. We miss him a lot,” she tweeted at 10.07 am.

Unveiling Vajpayee’s portrait at the Throne Room of Raj Bhavan at around 11 am, the Governor expressed anguish over the CM’s absence. He observed that the former PM had contributed immensely to the Trinamul chief’s political career once.

“I told her I was awaiting your response. Unfortunately there was no response. I can appreciate there can be situations where on a particular day she may not be able to spare time,” Dhankhar said.

He elaborated, “That does not diminish the respect one has for Vajpayeeji. But lack of acknowledgment, response, representation from the side of the government and bureaucracy and message has hurt and pained me. I personally know that from 2001 to 2004, Atalji had contributed hugely to her political career.”