Kolkata: Outgoing West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi on Saturday said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s “appeasement policy” is adversely affecting the social harmony of the state.
Tripathi, who has had several run-ins with the Chief Minister during his five-year tenure, said that Banerjee has the vision and power to implement her decisions but needs to keep a check on her sentiments and exercise restraint.
He said that the Chief Minister should treat every citizen equally without discrimination.
“Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has got vision, she has the power to implement her decisions but she should exercise restraint too. She becomes sentimental on occasions, so she has to keep a control on it,” Tripathi said while replying to questions on a wide range of issues.
His successor Jagdeep Dhankar will take oath as Governor on July 30.
“Her (Banerjee’s) policy of appeasement has the effect of adversely affecting societal harmony. I think she should look at every citizen equally. I believe that every citizen of West Bengal should be dealt with equally without discrimination,” he said.
Asked whether he saw any discrimination in West Bengal, 85-year-old Tripathi said, “Discrimi-nation is apparent. Her (Banerjee) statements show the discrimination”. He also expressed concern on violence in the state, saying the law and order situation should be improved. “I think a lot of improvement is required in the law and order situation. I do not know why people are adopting violence. There may be a political reason, a communal reason or influx of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas or several other causes,” he said.
The state witnessed several incidents of political violence during and after the Lok Sabha polls. On whether he felt the current law and order situation in West Bengal could warrant imposition of President’s Rule, Tripathi refrained from giving a direct reply.
Tripathi and Banerjee, who is the Trinamul chief, have publicly criticised each other a number of times during the last five years.
