Apprised Modi, Shah on situation in West Bengal: Governor

Tripathi said there was no discussion of possibility of imposing president's rule

Shah with Tripathi PTI Home Minister Amit Shah (right) meets West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi in New Delhi | PTI

West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi on Monday said he had apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah about the prevailing situation in the state, where post-poll violence has claimed nearly a dozen lives so far.

This is the first time Tripathi met the prime minister and the home minister after the Lok Sabha elections.

"I have apprised the prime minister and the home minister about the situation in West Bengal. I can't disclose details," Tripathi told reporters in Delhi after meeting Shah.

Asked about the possibility of imposition of president's rule in West Bengal, Tripathi said there was no such discussion during his meetings.

The governor's visit to the national capital came amid a verbal war between the Centre and the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal on the issue of post-poll violence in the state.

On Sunday, in an advisory, the home ministry had expressed "deep concern" over continuing violence in West Bengal, saying the "unabated violence" even after the Lok Sabha polls appears to be a failure on part of the state government.

"The unabated violence over the past weeks appears to be a failure on the part of the law enforcement machinery of the state to maintain the rule of law and inspire confidence among people," the advisory said.

The West Bengal government hit back at the Centre, saying there were a few "stray post-poll clashes" in West Bengal and the the situation in the state was "under control".

In a letter to the Centre, Chief Secretary Malay Kumar De said "firm and appropriate actions" were initiated in all cases of violence without any delay.

According to the MHA, the latest reports indicated that four persons were killed on Saturday in post-poll clashes in North 24 Parganas district.

Earlier too, there have been reports of violence in which several people lost lives in various parts of West Bengal, the official said, quoting the advisory.