‘Shocked, stunned’ Mamata Banerjee writes to PM Narendra Modi, says can’t release Chief Secretary
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withdraw the Centre's order recalling the state chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay.
Mamata Banerjee wrote a letter to PM Narendra Modi and said that her government "is not releasing" the top bureaucrat.
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"I must confess that I have been shocked and stunned by the unilateral order dated May 28, 2021, sent to us by the Government of India, asking us to release Sri Alapan Bandyopadhyay IAS, Chief Secretary, West Bengal, so that he may join the Government of India on May 31, 2021, the normal date of his superannuation," she wrote.
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"The unilateral order/directive is legally untenable, historically unprecedented, and wholly unconstitutional," she added.
"I really do not understand what happened between your allowing extension to the officer as Chief Secretary a few days back on May 24, 2021, after Centre-State consultation to enable him to serve the State of West Bengal in these times, and your unilateral order 14 days later) issued in contradiction to the extension granted by you," she said.
She said, "The unilateral order also does not provide any details, reasons and/ or particulars as to why central deputation of Sri Alapan Bandyopadhyay IAS, Chief Secretary, West Bengal is required suddenly by you only a few days after granting an order of extension following a due consultation process. Does it have something to do with our meeting at Kalaikunda on May 25, 2021?"
"I humbly request you to withdraw, recall, reconsider your decision and rescind the latest so-called order in the larger public interest. The Government of West Bengal cannot release and is not releasing. its Chief Secretary at this critical hour, on the basis of our understanding that the earlier order of extension, issued after lawful consultation in accordance with applicable laws, remains operational and valid. The latest order is also clearly in violation of applicable laws and against public interest: it is, in any case, ab initio void," she wrote further.
To read the full letter, click here.
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