West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar on Thursday said the Mamata Banerjee-led government must do some "serious soul searching" as the law and order situation in the state has "completely collapsed". TMC leader and state minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay hit back saying the Governor was behaving like an "activist of a political party". Dhankhar, who was attending an event in North 24 Parganas, told reporters: "The rule of law has completely broken down in the state. There is total lawlessness. Law and order situation has completely collapsed. The state government needs to do some serious soul searching." Dhankar was also upset with the Barrackpore Police Commissioner, who was allegedly reading newspapers while the event was underway. "Shame on you. I want the names of all the police officers who were sitting in the front row," a livid Dhankhar told Verma, who remained silent. TMC secretary-general and the state's Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Partha Chatterjee, accused the governor of misbehaving with a senior police officer in public. "This is the same police officer who had brought peace in Bhatpara area (last year). I think the governor has a problem with the fact that Verma brought the situation in control in Bhatpara, where the BJP wanted to create trouble," Chatterjee alleged. Another senior TMC leader and state minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay said Dhankhar should stop behaving like an "activist of a political party, as his conduct is unbecoming of a governor". Meanwhile, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said the state government should stop insulting the post of the governor. Dhankhar had been engaged in a bitter standoff with the West Bengal government over a host of issues since assuming charge in July last year. with PTI inputs
