Debangshu Bhattacharya Dev

I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the dastardly, cowardly and utterly reprehensible attack on our Hon'ble Minister Smt. Shashi Panja. Her home was vandalised and ransacked. Our party workers and supporters were mercilessly beaten. And she herself was physically assaulted, with stones and bricks hurled at her, leaving her injured. A serving Cabinet Minister was attacked in broad daylight by BJP goons emboldened by their Prime Minister's presence in the city. This is not an attack on one woman. This is an attack on every woman of Bengal. Bengal has seen this before. In 2019, from Amit Shah's rally, the bust of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was vandalised and desecrated. This is BJP’s culture. These BOHIRAGOTO BJP ZAMINDARS want to import their politics of PROVOCATION to Bengal. They want to destroy peace. They want to spread fear. This will neither be forgiven, nor be forgotten. Bengal will not tolerate BJP’s SAFFRON GUNDAGARDI.

This is shameful and unprecedented. Everyone who believes in democracy and the empowerment of tribal communities is disheartened. The pain and anguish expressed by Rashtrapati Ji, who herself hails from a tribal community, has caused immense sadness in the minds of the people of India. The TMC Government of West Bengal has truly crossed all limits. Their administration is responsible for this insult to the President. It is equally unfortunate that a subject as important as Santal culture is treated so casually by the West Bengal Government. The office of the President is above politics and the sanctity of this office should always be respected. One hopes better sense prevails among the West Bengal Government and TMC.

I am shocked and deeply concerned by the sudden news of the resignation of Shri C. V. Ananda Bose, the Governor of West Bengal. The reasons behind his resignation are not known to me at this moment. However, given the prevailing circumstances, I would not be surprised if the Governor has been subjected to some pressure from the Union Home Minister to serve certain political interests on the eve of the forthcoming State Assembly elections. Union Home Minister just informed me that Shri R.N. Ravi is being appointed as Governor of West Bengal. He never consulted with me as per the established convention in this regard. Such actions undermine the spirit of the Constitution of India and strike at the very foundation of our federal structure. The Centre must respect the principles of cooperative federalism and refrain from taking unilateral decisions that erode democratic conventions and the dignity of States.