Kolkata: The battle between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Centre seems to be growing by the day. It took a turn for the worst Thursday over the Centre’s order seeking the deputation of three senior IPS officers from West Bengal. Immediately Mamata Banerjee hit out at the Centre and said the order is a blatant misuse of power. She said her government would not cow-down before ‘expansionist’ and ‘undemocratic’ forces.
In a series of tweets, Banerjee said that it was a deliberate attempt by the Centre to encroach upon the state’s jurisdiction. This move will demoralise the serving officers in West Bengal, she said.
“This move, particularly before the elections, is against the basic tenets of the federal structure. It’s unconstitutional & completely unacceptable!” Banerjee tweeted.
The Union Home Ministry has asked the West Bengal government to immediately release the IPS officers for central deputation. The order was given for their alleged dereliction of duties, following the attack on the convoy of BJP president JP Nadda.
“GoI’s (Government of India) order of central deputation for the 3 serving IPS officers of West Bengal despite the State’s objection is a colourable exercise of power and blatant misuse of emergency provision of IPS Cadre Rule 1954,” Banerjee tweeted.
The Home Ministry said that as per the IPS cadre rules, the Centre prevails over the state in case of a dispute.
“We wouldn’t allow this brazen attempt by the Centre to control the State machinery by proxy! West Bengal is not going to cow-down in front of expansionist & undemocratic forces,” the chief minister tweeted.
Banerjee’s statement came within minutes of information about a letter, sent by the Home Ministry to the chief secretary of West Bengal was made public.
The Centre asked the West Bengal government to immediately relieve the three IPS officers for joining the central deputation. It said all of them were already given new assignments, according to officials.
Bholanath Pandey has been appointed as SP in the Bureau of Police Research and Development, PraveenTripathi as DIG in the Sashastra Seema Bal and Rajeev Mishra as IG in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, they said.
A copy of the letter has also been sent to the West Bengal’s director-general of police.