Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has once again attacked Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar after the latter clarified that he had not hired any of his family members as his personal staff members.
Moitra had earlier put out a list of six OSDs (Officer on Special Duty) alleging that they were related to the Dhankar in one way or the other. Moitra had tweeted, “And Uncleji- while you’re at it- take the extended family you’ve settled in at WB RajBhavan with you.”
The six names shared by Moitra were OSD to Governor Abbhudoy Singh Sekhawat, OSD coordination Akhil Chowdhury, OSD administration Ruchi Dubey, OSD protocol Prasant Diksit, OSD IT Koustav S Valikar and newly appointed OSD Kishan Dhankar.
The Trinamool MP claimed that Sekhawat was the son of Dhankhar’s brother-in-law, while d Ruchi Dubey and Prasant Diksit were wife and brother respectively of the governor’s former ADC Major Gorang Diksit. She had gone on to add that Valikar was the brother-in-law of present ADC Janardan Rao and Kishan Dhankar, who shares the same surname as that of the governor, was another close relative.
And Uncleji- while you’re at it- take the extended family you’ve settled in at WB RajBhavan with you. pic.twitter.com/a8KpNjynx9
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) June 6, 2021
Hours later, Dhankar took to Twitter to make an extraordinary clarification denying charges levelled by Moitra. In a series of tweets, Dhankhar wrote, “Assertion
@MahuaMoitra in tweet & Media that six coterminous appointee OSDs in personal staff are relatives is FACTUALLY WRONG. OSDs are from three states and belong to four different castes. None of them is part of close family. Four of them are not from my caste or state.”
He added, “This is unfolding of “distraction strategy” to divert attention from alarming law and order scenario @MamataOfficial. Would continue undeterred and with zeal to serve the people of state and vindicate my oath of office under Article 159 of the Constitution.”
This is unfolding of “distraction strategy” to divert attention from alarming law and order scenario @MamataOfficial.
Would continue undeterred and with zeal to serve the people of state and vindicate my oath of office under Article 159 of the Constitution.
— Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) June 7, 2021
Not convinced by the governor’s clarification, Moitra returned with more ‘uncleji’ jibe as she wrote, “Asking Uncleji to lay out right here what antecedents of the appointees are & how each one got into Raj Bhavan. Do it NOW. BJP IT Cell can’t get you out of this one Uncleji..And I don’t think Vice President of India also happening for you.”
Asking Uncleji to lay out right here what antecedents of the appointees are & how each one got into Raj Bhavan.
Do it NOW.
BJP IT Cell can’t get you out of this one Uncleji..
And I don’t think Vice President of India also happening for you https://t.co/CMstjlsG6f
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) June 7, 2021
Dhankhar has been very critical of the Mamata Banerjee government on the law order issue. The ruling TMC has often accused the governor of acting as a BJP leader even though he held a constitutional post.