Guv holding back Bills passed by Assembly, alleges Mamata; threatens dharna outside Raj Bhavan

PTI | Kolkata | 05-09-2023 :  Hitting out at Governor CV Ananda Bose, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that he was holding back bills passed by the state assembly, and threatened that she will sit on dharna outside the Raj Bhavan if he continued to do so.

Addressing a government function on the occasion of Teachers' Day, Banerjee alleged the governor was interfering in the functioning of state-run universities, and warned that if the varsities operate according to his directions, she will block their funds.

''The governor's actions are an attempt to paralyse the state administration. He is not returning a single bill passed by the assembly. There is a provision that if a bill is sent to him he has to return it. If a bill is returned twice, it becomes an act. He is not returning a single bill,'' she said.

''If federalism is interfered with by taking away rights (of the state governments), I will be forced to sit on dharna outside the Raj Bhavan. We will not allow injustice, Bengal knows how to fight back. Wait and watch,'' she said, adding that the government will take legal steps.

Banerjee also alleged that the governor was interfering in the functioning of schools, colleges and universities in the state.

''The state frames all policy. If you interfere, I will block funds to all those universities and colleges which follow your directions. I will see how you will give salaries to the vice-chancellors,'' she said, promising a ''tit for tat'' action.

The governor, in his capacity as the chancellor of state-run universities, had on Sunday night appointed interim vice-chancellors for seven varsities, including the prestigious Presidency University, MAKAUT and the University of Burdwan.

Sources said the interim vice-chancellors of nine other universities have also been finalised and appointment letters ''will be issued soon''. Noting that the vice-chancellors should be picked from the names suggested by a five-member search committee, Banerjee said, ''The governor is appointing persons at his will with no regard to the suggestions. He appointed a BJP man as the vice-chancellor of Jadavpur University at midnight. He made an IPS officer of Kerala cadre the vice-chancellor of a sensitive university such as Aliah. 

He recruited a person with no academic experience as the VC of Rabindra Bharati University.'' Claiming that it was a conspiracy for the collapse of the system, she said, ''We will not allow this to continue. If the governor thinks he is bigger than the chief minister, we will fight him back. He should not forget that he is nominated to that post.'' The chief minister said that the actions of the governor breaks her heart. ''I told him earlier as well not to do such things. But, for the last three-four months he has been continuing this.'' During British rule, the post of chancellor was created to honour the chair of the viceroy, and after Independence, the governor was made the chancellor but it continues to be an honorary post, she said.

''The expenses of Raj Bhavan are borne by the state government, not by the honourble governor,'' Banerjee said, without elaborating further.

Asking the vice-chancellors, who were removed from their posts by the governor over the last few months not to be scared, she asked Education Minister Bratya Basu, also present at the function, to convene a meeting with them.