West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar on Monday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence in Delhi amid the ongoing row between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP in West Bengal over the Birbhum killings.
Earlier in the day, the state Assembly witnessed unruly scenes with members of both the TMC and the BJP clashing each other. Five BJP MLAs, including Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, were suspended from the House. Adhikari was accused of busting the nose of a rival MLA.
The clashes erupted after BJP MLAs trooped to the well, demanding a statement by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the "worsening" law and order situation in the wake of the tragedy in Birbhum district, where eight people were burnt alive last week.
Dhankar has had a confrontational relationship with the Banerjee-led state government, and the Birbhum incident has seen him putting the dispensation in the dock again. Banerjee has in turn hit back at him.
What happened in Rampurhat (in Birbhum) is a shame on democracy and humanity, the governor had said. He had also shot off a letter to the chief minister, claiming that the state government's actions smack of "political overtones" and an attempt to shield the guilty.
"Adopting diversionary tactics, you have labelled my reaction as a sweeping and uncalled for statement. In the face of such enormity, I cannot fiddle in Raj Bhavan and be a mute spectator," he had said.
Banerjee was quick to the reply. Without naming Dhankar, she counter-attacked, stating: "There is one 'Lat Saheb' (lordly person) sitting who is describing Bengal as the worst state and hurling abuses at the state government."
Unidentified people had on March 21 set ablaze 10 houses in the village near Rampurhat town, killing at least eight people, including women and children.
