Goondaraj remark: Mamata minister dares Governor to sack govt

'Goondaism' remark sets Narayanan on collision course with TMC

Raj Bhavan and Writers' Buildings seem to be on a collision course, with each firing salvos at the other.

The government today said it was "censuring" Governor M K Narayanan and dared him to sack the government. This came a day after Narayanan said that "goondaraj" was prevailing in the state.

The issue was the CPM-Trinamool Congress clash at Bhangar on January 8 that saw members of both parties injured and property damaged

Political observers could not recall such an incident where a minister of the state government had "censured" the constitutional head of government.

"We are borrowing a word (censure) from the CPM and censuring him and we are keeping a watch on the situation. In fact, we are showing him the yellow card now, and if he does not restrain himself we will show him the red card. He said 'goondaraj' was going on in the state. If he thinks so, why does he not sack this government? We challenge him, let him do it,'' Subrata Mukherjee, minister for panchayats and rural development, said at Writers' Buildings.

Later in the evening, asked about the remark at a function at Rabindra Sadan, the governor said, "I spoke as governor of the state and I stand by what I said.''

Partha Chatterjee, minister for commerce and industries, however, performed a balancing act when he met the governor in the morning and gave him an invitation to preside over the closing ceremony of Bengal Leads, the industrial summit to be arranged by the state government at Haldia.

However, according to sources in the state government, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took serious umbrage at the governor's use of the phrase 'goonda raj' and it was reportedly at her behest that Mukherjee took such potshots at the governor.

... contd.

ALSO READ

Exit BJP's Reddy brothers, enter Cong's own miner

Chit fund director Dipak Saha beaten up by mob, arrested

Chit fund director Dipak Saha beaten up by mob, arrested

Kapil Sibal mocks Narendra Modi, says Delhi is 'distant'