Act against officials failing to enforce lockdown, Guv tells Mamata

Expressing dismay over the manner of enforcement of lockdown in West Bengal, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, here on Wednesday, said the police and the state officials failing to curb religious congregation or effect social distancing should be "shown the door" and deployment of central forces be considered.

In a tweet, in which he tagged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Dhankhar stressed thorough implementation of the lockdown protocol to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

"Lockdown protocol has to be thoroughly implemented to ward off #coronavirus. Police and administration @MamataOfficial failing to effect 100% #SocialDistancing or curbing religious congregations be shown door.

"Lockdown must succeed - examine central para forces requisitioning!" he twitted.

Recently, the Union Home Ministry wrote to the Bengal Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police seeking action against what it called 'dilution' of lockdown measures and criticised permission given for religious gatherings.

"There is no regulation on vegetable, fish and mutton markets in Rajabazaar, NarkelDanga, Topsia, Metiabruz, Garden Reach, Ikbalpur and Maniktala in Kolkata, which the people have been thronging in complete violation of social distancing norms," read the letter sent on Saturday by the MHA's Internal Security Division.

It said such a scenario was in complete violation of its orders, and sought timely strict action and a report on the steps taken against violators.

Banerjee responded by indicating the Centre's letter had communal undertones as the areas mentioned were Muslim-dominated. "You know very well whom Delhi wants to keep special vigilance on. We are now not fighting any communal virus. We are fighting a disease," she said.

Since his appointment as the Governor last July, Dhankhar has had regular run-ins with the state government. Since the outbreak of Covid-19, he has been regularly tweeting, coming on television channels and uploading video messages on his social media account targeting the Trinamool regime.

Dhankhar has repeatedly alleged that social distancing was not being maintained, particularly in the districts. IANS