Cong, CPI(M) slam TMC for not replying to queries of Guv on pending Bill

Kolkata, Jan 21: The Congress and CPI(M) on Tuesday slammed the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal for not replying to the queries of Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on a bill to check mob assaults and lynchings, saying due respect should be given to a constitutional position.

After discussing with the governor matters of a Bill that seeks to check incidents of mob assault and lynching in the state, the two parties alleged that the TMC dispensation has kept both the governor and the Opposition in the dark over the Bill.

The West Bengal (Prevention of Lynching) Bill, 2019 is waiting for the governor's nod after it was passed by the Assembly on August 30 last year. Dhankhar has been saying replies to his queries on it were not given by the government. Dhankhar had invited the leader of opposition in the Assembly Abdul Mannan of the Congress and CPI(M) legislature party leader Sujan Chakraborty to discuss matters relating to the Bill.

"Just as we feel that adverse comments in the House against the governor is objectionable, we also feel that not giving answers to queries by him is also objectionable," the Congress leader said.

There are some procedural and technical glitches in the Bill which will not pass the scrutiny of a court of law, Mannan said after the two, along with CPI MLA Ashok Dinda, held a meeting with Dhankar at the Raj Bhavan here.

"The government would not have fallen had the TMC admitted its errors pointed out by us and corrected them," Mannan said claiming that the Mamata Banerjee regime is averse to any suggestion made by the opposition.

CPI(M) MLA Sujan Chakraborty alleged that the government side is keeping the House in the dark over the Bill, and claimed that they had repeatedly told the ruling party leaders that there are technical flaws in the Bill.

"We (the Left) think that the position of a governor is not necessary, but since it is there in the Constitution, respect should be given to the position by both the government and the person holding it," the CPI(M) legislature party leader said, in a reference to the ongoing feud between Dhankar and the Mamata Banerjee dispensation.

Chakraborty claimed that differences between the two sides were taking the centre stage, putting major issues like job creation and other requirements of the people in the back burner.

The CPI(M) leader said they did not discuss with the governor another Bill that will pave the way for setting up an SC/ST commission in the state, since it has not yet been tabled in the House.

The 'West Bengal Commission for SC and ST Bill, 2019 is also pending with Dhankhar. Dhankar had invited the West Bengal Chief Minister for a meeting to discuss issues pertaining to the two bills on January 17 but she did not attend it owing to "preoccupations".