The Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday said that the TMC govt has turned West Bengal into a 'police state' and threatened to "look into" Article 154 of the Constitution alleging that his office has been ignored for long by the ruling dispensation. Dhankhar slammed the state government for turning down a Raj Bhawan request to increase the budget allocation for it - an additional Rs 53.5 lakh to meet its everyday expenses.The governor said he wouldn't allow Raj Bhawan to be compromised and the behaviour of the state government "is unacceptable"
Dhankhar said "A police state is the first enemy of democracy. Police state and democracy don't go hand in hand. Police personnel are working as cadres of the ruling TMC."He also claimed that the police in Bengal are "in servitude of extra-constitutional authorities" and criticised Director General of Police, Virendra for being irresponsible and callous" in his response to a letter from Raj Bhawan. "If the Constitution is not protected, I have to act, Dhankhar said that the "electronic surveillance by the TMC government" has forced him to communicate over WhatsApp voice calls."Law and order has collapsed completely in the state. Maoist insurgency is raising its head. Terror modules are also operating from this state.
Reminding Banerjee that he was a "stakeholder in matters of governance", Dhankhar said the CM is under the misconception that the post of Governor is a mere "post-office or a rubber stamp".
The Trinamool Congress was quick to hit back accusing the governor of "tarnishing his post" and said that he should "take up the post of the state BJP president instead".
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