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Adhikari stopped from visiting Netai: Dhankhar summons chief secy, DGP

Adhikari alleged on Friday that he was not allowed to meet family members of those killed in Netai in 2011.

Governor Jagdeep DhankharGovernor Jagdeep Dhankhar

Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday summoned the state chief secretary and the director general of police to brief him on why Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Suvendu Adhikari was not allowed to visit the family members of the victims who died in alleged police firing at Netai in Jhargram district. Nine villagers died in the alleged incident that took place during the Left Front rule in 2011.

The Governor asked the chief secretary and the DGP to meet him at 11 am on January 10.

“In view of highly disturbing scenario, reminiscent of emergency, in Jan 07 communication @SuvenduWB, WB Guv has directed CS @MamataOfficial & DGP @WBPolice to brief him, fully updated with written report on Jan 10 at 11 am. Serious that LOP was ill-treated in spite of HC order,” the Governor said in a tweet on Saturday.

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Adhikari alleged on Friday that he was not allowed to meet family members of those killed in Netai in 2011.

In his letter to the Governor which he shared on social media, Adhikari wrote, “I sought permission from SP Jhargram regarding my annual visit to Netai on 7th January. Unfortunately, he didn’t respond to my email. So, I approached Honble Calcutta High Court well in advance. Honble Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharya presided over the matter. AG assured the court that there is no restriction on my movement.”

Festive offer

“However, the ground reality was different. On my way to Netai, a huge contingent of WB police blocked my way, barricading the whole road…. They didn’t allow me to visit Netai. I pleaded with them to let me visit under any condition, even if it meant for me to go alone. All my requests fell on deaf ears,” the BJP MLA further wrote.

Meanwhile, a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee raised the Governor’s questioning of the state’s lateral entry policy during her virtual address at the inauguration of the second campus of the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute in Kolkata, Jagdeep Dhankhar once again took to social media claiming that the state chief secretary was yet to brief him on the details of recruitment as was sought by him. The further stated that the mechanism of recruitment of consultants was ‘far from one being transparent’.

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At the virtual inauguration of the second CNCI campus by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, the chief minister said while her government follows the Centre’s guidelines, the Governor questions the state’s initiatives.

“On the issue of IPS and IAS, you (Centre) advised that we can take people from outside. We are trying to follow that. But the Governor is asking questions. Why did you do this? Show me the process? He is unaware that we are doing it following the PM’s advice. If officers are not available, what can we do? We follow 99 per cent of the guidelines that you give us,” Banerjee said during her virtual address on Friday.

“No response @MamataOfficial on communication dated December 28 regarding recruitment of #consultants gives credence to widespread perception of extension of favouritism. The mechanism is opaque, far from one being transparent and accountable under Article 16 of the Constitution,” the Governor tweeted on Saturday. He also tagged his letter to the state government on this issue.

On December 28, Dhankhar sought details of the process of recruitment of senior consultants and consultants in various state departments.

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Recently, the West Bengal government had put out advertisements inviting applications from professionals and retired professionals for lateral entry as senior consultants and consultants for 50 posts in various departments. The monthly salary was pegged at Rs2 lakh, the age limit for applicants was between 35 and 70 years.

“This refers to the notifications relating to the engagement of Senior Consultants/ Consultants published by the Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms on 26th November 2021. Serious issues have been raised from several quarters regarding this matter in respect of the lack of transparency, accountability and modalities of the selection process of these consultants…” read the Governor’s letter to the state government.

“The mechanism provided in the said notifications is opaque and in disregard to judicial pronouncements. There is widespread apprehension that by such (a) mechanism administration is sought to be packed by ‘patronage appointees’. There are some alarmingly disturbing inputs that need not be indicated for the moment,” the letter further read.

First uploaded on: 09-01-2022 at 04:35 IST
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