'Deeply saddened': West Bengal governor responds to speaker's 'interference' charge

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday wrote to state Assembly Speaker Biman Bandhopadhyay on the need for "working in harmony”, a week after the Speaker had complained he was interfering in the functioning of the House.

"Nothing can be more unfortunate and distanced from reality. Such a stand, more so in the forum concerned, is not in consonance with the office you hold. Just ponder that not even once you have thought of deliberating the issue, if at all any, with me,” Dhankhar wrote in his letter.

Speaker Banerjee at the All India Speakers’ Conference held virtually on June 22 had complained to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla that there was "excessive interference '' by the governor in parliamentary democracy , and that several bills passed by the House were not signedby the governor.


Dhankar said, "No bill, save one, is pending consideration at my end, and therein too there is delay in response from the concerned.”

Earlier in the day, he took to Twitter to remind the Speaker that "adherence to constitutional norms is quintessential to democracy and rule of law."

"Urged Speaker of WBLA to work in togetherness in a harmonious manner to uphold and justify the essence and spirit of the Constitution for ensuring the overall welfare of the people," he posted to the social media site.