West Bengal example of human rights violations: Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar targets Mamata Banerjee govt

Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar tweeted, "West Bengal has set an example of human rights violations... Fear among the people is such that they cannot even discuss this openly."

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Kolkata: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar Friday fired a fresh salvo at the Trinamool Congress government, alleging that the state has set a precedent for human rights violations.

The governor, in a videographed address on Human Rights Day, said upholding of people's rights is necessary for a democratic system to flourish.

"West Bengal has set an example of human rights violations... Fear among the people is such that they cannot even discuss this openly," he said in the address posted on Twitter.

“Worrisome HUMAN RIGHTS violations @MamataOfficial. Only ‘Rule of Ruler and not of law' @India_NHRC. Need for massive uplift,” he said in another tweet.

Situation @MamataOfficial far distanced from “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high” Governance is distancing from Constitution and rule of law. Disturbing that administration @WBPolice @KolkataPolice ignores ‘Be you never so high, the law is above you.’ — Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) December 10, 2021

Dhankhar, who has been at loggerheads with the TMC government over several issues since taking over as governor in July, 2019, also alleged that the administration and officials in the state are behaving like political workers.

“Situation @MamataOfficial far distanced from ‘where the mind is without fear and the head is held high'. Governance is distancing from Constitution and rule of law,” he said.

The governor urged the officials to work within the provisions of the Constitution.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a message on Human Rights Day posted on Twitter around the same time as that of Dhankhar's address, called for unity among people to defeat forces that abuse fundamental rights.

“Let us pledge to rise above hate and inequality. Let us come together and fight for each other, stand by each other. Together, we can defeat all forces that dare to abuse our fundamental rights," she wrote.