Kolkata, June 28 Hours after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar of being 'corrupt', the Governor on Monday hit back at the Trinamool Congress government in the state, alleging that it is involved in several corrupt practices.
Addressing a press conference, Dhankhar said, "I would like to ask the government what happened to the report of the Rs 2,000 crore pandemic purchase scam? The Chief Minister herself had admitted that there were irregularities and she even ordered an inquiry which was supposed to be conducted by the then Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay. What happened to that report?
"I had asked Bandyopadhyay several times when he came to me, but there was no report. I have written to her (Banerjee) several times, but she didn't respond. I would like to ask what happened to the inquiry which she herself had ordered? To order an inquiry is the end of everything. The people need to know who were the people who took undue benefits," Dhankhar said.
Dhankhar also said that there has been neither any election nor any audit in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).
"Thousands of crores have been sanctioned but there has been no audit. Why? It is people's money and the people should know what happened to their money. I shall conduct a CAG audit as it falls under my constitutional ambit," the Governor said.
"There was no election (to GTA) after 2017. Democracy has been stiffened; it has been decimated in the GTA. The GTA has been reduced to a government department. It is a den of nepotism, den of corruption, den of inefficiency. Everyone asked why there was no audit? Thousands of cores have come, but why is there no audit? I sought a report, but there was no report," Dhankhar alleged.
The Governor even questioned the government's policy to give loans for the Andal airport.
"I have asked her (Banerjee) why the government is increasing its equity in Andal airport? Why are they giving loans to people when they are not repaying? Why have loans been given when they are not paying the interest? I had asked the same question to Alapan Bandyopadhyay, but there was no answer," Dhankhar alleged.
The Governor also made serious allegations against the state government over the post-poll violence in Bengal.
"Five states went to the polls, but no other state witnessed such violence as was seen in Bengal. The whole world is a witness to this. They (Trinamool Congress) have come with such a huge mandate but they are throttling the democratic rights of the people," he said.
The Governor, however, vowed that he won't give in.
"I will not be caved in, be what it may. I will only bow down in front of the Constitution of India. The Constitution has empowered me and I shall do everything possible for the people of West Bengal," Dhankhar said.
"The Chief Minister says whatever she feels like, but I have held my patience. Have you seen what happened last year during the Governor's address? It was a total black out. It happened only during Emergency," he said.
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