Bengal Guv-Abhishek spat over latter's controversial remarks on judiciary

TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday lashed out at Governor Jagdeep Dhankar for remaining silent when BJP leaders make controversial remarks and insult Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday lashed out at Governor Jagdeep Dhankar for remaining silent when BJP leaders make controversial remarks and insult West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and defended his own controversial remarks on the judiciary which has seen the Governor warning that the MP has crossed the red line.

Dhankar earlier in the day asked the state's chief secretary to update him by June 6 on the action taken regarding the Diamond Harbour MP's comments on the judiciary in reference to its orders to the CBI to investigate various Bengal-related cases.

Banerjee defended his criticism of a section of the judiciary on Saturday in Haldia by stating at a rally in Shyamnagar, near Kolkata, that he did not name any judge or mentioned any judgment in particular."

He asserted that a citizen of this country "is free to criticize a judgment".

"Day before yesterday, during a rally, I made some remarks. The governor claimed that I have crossed the line. People of the state are very well aware of who is crossing the line. I had said that in judiciary, 99 per cent of people are good, only 1 per cent works as per instructions of those who control the levers of power This one per cent people exist everywhere, even in political parties," Banerjee said.

On Saturday, Banerjee had lashed out at "one per cent of the judiciary" for ordering a CBI probe in every case in the state.

"I have the right to criticise a judgment. If a judgment says there would be no FIR in a murder case, is it right or wrong? If I say something about the Judiciary, the governor reacts to it. It only proves that the remarks have hit the right spot. I have full respect for the judiciary," he said.

Dhankhar, had reacted to Banerjee's fulminations on Sunday claiming that constitutional authorities in the state are under attack, and said the TMC leader had crossed the red line by criticising the judiciary.

Trinamool Congress too on Monday came out in support of its national general secretary's comment on the judiciary and said it did not tantamount to contempt of court.

Senior TMC leader Chandrima Bhattacharya said anyone can speak about the judiciary and slammed Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar for "trying to score brownie points" on the issue.

"Abhishek Banerjee had not said any thing which tantamount to contempt of court. He spoke about the judiciary. Anyone can talk about the judiciary. There is a saying that justice must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done" Bhattacharya, a member of the Mamata Banerjee's council of ministers, told a press conference here.

The Governor however did not seem to agree with this line of reasoning. Dhankar tweeted that he had asked the chief secretary to initiate all expected action and update by June 6, 2022 regards public targeting of judiciary by Diamond Harbour MP (over judiciary entrusting investigation to CBI in cases, including the infamous SSC scam), that can neither be overlooked nor countenanced."

In his communication to the chief secretary, which was uploaded in the governor's twitter handle, Dhankhar said that the MP through his accusations "scandalises the judiciary, interferes with the due course of justice process and reflects scant respect for the rule of law.