Dhankhar takes exception to 'blackout' of speech

Tribune News Service

Kolkata, June 30

Less than 48 hours before he was to deliver the customary address at the state Assembly, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar wrote a stinging letter to Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee, saying the decision last year to not air his address in the Assembly live was reminiscent of the days of Emergency.

“Blacking out from media coverage the Governor Address under Article 176 of the Constitution was reminiscent of draconian emergency, as subsequent to that there was live coverage of the proceedings concerning Chief Minister and Finance Minister as also others,” the Governor wrote to the Speaker on Wednesday.

The first session of the newly elected West Bengal Assembly is slated to commence from July 2 with the Governor delivering his ceremonial address on the inaugural day. It is learnt reliably that there will be no live coverage of the Governor’s address this time too.

Restrictions in place in view of the pandemic are being cited as the reason for not airing the Governor’s address live. However, the real reason is something else. The state government fears that the Governor may deviate from the written text of the speech thus embarrassing the Chief Minister and other members of the ruling dispensation.