WB Govenor disagrees with Mamata's UN-monitored referendum

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday disagreed with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's demand for a UN-monitored referendum on Citizenship (Amendment) Act besides the proposed nationwide NRC and said such assertions are bound to send wrong signals.

Dhankhar appealed to the chief minister to withdraw her statement to this effect.

The governor said he is against any Indian citizen trying to take "dispute resolution" to any outside body, including the United Nations.

"An authority should not seek such an intervention... this does not do any honour to our country," he said on the sidelines of an event organised by Assocham.

Speaking at a rally in the city on Thursday, Banjerjee challenged the Narendra Modi government to go for a UN- monitored referendum on amended Citizenship Act and the proposed NRC across the country.

"When honourable chief minister made that observation yesterday, I found it was in public domain. I was in deep pain and anguish. Several people called me. I, therefore, went public and appealed to her very firmly and politely that this should be withdrawn.

"This does not suit her stature either for the position she holds or the experience she has," he said.

Dhankhar said the Constitution of the country provides a "very effective mechanism" for dispute resolution of individuals, of the states or between the Union and states.

The governor, who had a face-off with the state government on various issues, has been urging people to stop protesting against the new citizenship law as the Supreme Court has refused to stay its operation.

"I have been pained, disturbed...I again urge the chief minister to seriously ponder over my suggestions and request her this should not be done. Let us keep our situation within the system of the Constitution..any such effort is bound to send signals of a very wrong nature."