Why Adhikari’s movement has been curtailed: Governor asks Bengal Chief Secretary

Jagdeep Dhankhar, West Bengal Governor wrote to H K Dwivedi, the state chief secretary, who had failed to appear before him twice despite summons. Reproaching Dwivedi, Dhankar gave him a seven-day deadline for his reply on why Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari was stopped going to Jhargram to attend a programme despite a Calcutta High Court order that there should be no restrictions on his movement.

Dhankhar in a two-page letter said that this was the “last opportunity” given to the chief seceratry to provide his response in the matter and in case he fails to appear before him this time too “serious consequences will follow in due course”.

Dhankhar Wrote in the letter: “Sequence of events leave no manner of doubt that the defiance and dereliction of duty is extreme at the level of the CS. This stance has become habitual, unmindful of all lawful objections towards this office or rule of law.”

“The chief secretary is provided the last opportunity to provide his comprehensive response regarding the above-mentioned matter at the earlier, in any case not later than seven days from the receipt of this communication. Failing which it will be presumed that he is working in complete disregard of the lawful directives of this office and that his actions are in deliberations and international violation of the All India Service (Conduct) Rules, 1968, as a result of which serious consequences will follow in due course,” the letter further read.

On January 8, the Governor had summoned Dwivedi, and state DGP Manoj Malaviya for an update on the alleged incident on the previous day when Adhikari was stopped from attending a programme in Netai in Jhargram district. He had also sought a written report from the two officers.

Dhankhar had called their actions—skipping the meets despite summoning— “constitutional lapse” and had in Twitteral outrage raised the question as to who ordered the officials to boycott the meets.

Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition, Suvendu Adhikari had claimed that he was stopped by the police from going to Netai in Jhargram despite the Calcutta High Court order that there should be no restrictions on his movement.