Guv lacks courtesy, people don't like his remarks: Mamata

Coming down heavily on West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday called him "publicity hungry" and said people were not liking his "utterances and lack of courtesy".

"When we meet the Prime Minister, he greets us will folded hands, we also do the same. This is courtesy. In the central hall of Parliament, we greet CPI-M leaders also. But this man... I wish him well, a long life. Let him climb the ladder and become President. We will pray for that. But people do not like what he says, and his lack of courtesy," Banerjee told reporters here replying to a poser on Dhankhar.

When Dhankhar had gone to address the Constitution Day programme in the state assembly on Tuesday, the Governor and Banerjee did not greet each other or make eye contact before or after the programme, even though the Chief Minister was present alongside the Speaker, senior officials and legislative leaders of various parties to formally welcome and see off the state's first citizen.

Banerjee said that since becoming Chief Minister in 2011, she has worked with a number of Governors.

"Since 2011, we are in power. Keshri Nath Tripathi (former state Governor) was also an RSS man. Once or twice he spoke against us, perhaps at the instructions of the party. But overall, the situation was manageable. We never had much quarrel," she said.

Asked about the Governor going to her Kalighat residence on the Kali Puja festival, she said: "He is publicity hungry. Some people feel if I am not shown on television every day, I will lose my job."

"He wrote me a letter..saying he wanted to come on Brothers' Day... But I celebrate Brothers' Day as solidarity day with people of all castes, creed and community since my childhood. He said in the letter he wanted to come.

"But why should I spend the day with him? What for? As he wanted to come, I wrote to him that I would be busy on that day. So I told him he was free to come to my house on Kali Puja, as everyone was welcome in my residence on that day. This is courtesy, nothing more than that," she added.IANS