Narada case arrests: Bengal Governor takes 'serious note' of sheep protest outside Raj Bhavan

Kolkata, May 19: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday took "serious note" of the demonstrations in front of the Raj Bhavan on consecutive days, despite prohibitory orders in force in the area, and sought a report from the city police.

The governor took to Twitter and shared video clips of both the events tagging the official handle of Kolkata Police, and asked them to send comprehensive reports regarding the incidents and the actions taken by 5 pm on Wednesday.

The governor''s ire followed the agitation near the four gates of Raj Bhavan by Trinamool Congress activists on Monday after the CBI arrested three heavyweight TMC leaders, two of them state ministers, in connection with Narada case, and a demonstration by a social organisation in which a person was seen with a posse of half a dozen sheep near the North Gate the day after.

Dhankhar, who has been flagging the "worsening law and order issue" repeatedly in recent times, accused the demonstrators of showing threatening posture amounting to utter disregard for law and accused the police of not taking note of that.

Tagging the Twitter handle of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kolkata Police, Dhankhar tweeted on Wednesday, "State of law and order ?@MamataOfficial? even at the main entry gate of Raj Bhawan worrisome with stance police ? @KolkataPolice? leaving all to be desired.

"And all this when the area is subject to 144 CrPC prohibitory orders. Constrained to seek an update on it."

In another tweet, he shared a video of a man posing outside Raj Bhavan with a flock of sheep on Tuesday.

Dhankhar tweeted "and on this stance @KolkataPolice (laughable one) is that the man was keen to have photo with Raj Bhawan background. No action whatsoever taken."

Suman Mitra, a spokesman of the organisation which carried out this unusual protest, had said the demonstration was organised to protest "lack of concern by the governor for the people who are facing the brunt due to worsening COVID-19 situation in the state, scarcity in supply of oxygen, rise in deaths. Instead, he is only preoccupied with other issues which can be dealt with later on."

"Our protest is against the dirty politics at the time of pandemic when people of Bengal are suffering," Mitra said.

Turning to the agitation by Trinamool Congress activists before all the gates of Raj Bhavan in protest against the arrests by CBI on Monday, Dhankhar tweeted "And such threatening posture at main gate of Raj Bhawan! Police @KolkataPolice virtually takes no note of it.

"Look at the content of the threat! With no fear of law- understandably given inaction of police. Can all this @MamataOfficial be countenanced or overlooked!"