Kolkata Adding a new twist to the latest point of tension between TMC and the governor, newly elected Trinamool legislator Sayantika Banerjee on Monday met West Bengal President Biman Banerjee and announced her intention to take oath in the Assembly instead of Raj Bhavan, as requested by Governor CV Ananda. Bose.
Banerjee, who was elected MLA in the Baranagar by-election that coincided with the Lok Sabha elections, later told reporters that she had sent a letter to Raj Bhavan expressing her intentions to skip the oath ordered by the governor.
However, a Raj Bhavan official said the governor was yet to receive any such communication.
The latest clash between the Bengal Governor and the state's ruling TMC was sparked by a communication from Raj Bhavan inviting two newly elected MLAs from Bhagwangola and Baranagar, Reyat Hossain Sarkar and Banerjee respectively, to be present on July 26 for his oath ceremony.
The act, the TMC alleged, defied the Governor's custom of assigning the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker of the House to do the needful in cases of partial winners.
The letter from Raj Bhavan also reportedly does not mention who would administer the oath to the new MLAs.
“It has been more than two weeks since I was elected and I only have a year and a half left to work for the people of my constituency. This complication over the swearing-in is hindering my work as a legislator. Therefore, I have written to the governor requesting him to allow me to take oath before the Assembly Speaker as this is the place from where I will work,” Banerjee said.
State Minister Firhad Hakim, who accompanied Banerjee during his meeting with the President, recounted how he himself was sworn in by former President Hasim Abdul Halim when he first won an Assembly poll in 2009.
“By doing such things, this Governor is repeatedly trying to limit the rights of the Speaker who is the custodian of the Assembly. The Governor is betraying the people by preventing the oath of office of a representative elected by the people, unlike him, who holds a position appointed by the Centre. He is frustrating the rules and conventions of the Assembly where all members are under the custody of the Speaker. Who is he trying to satisfy? Hakim attacked.
He said: “Members cannot serve the people until they take oath. Who is the Governor to stop this process? Can the Governor go against the verdict of the people? Why is he creating such unnecessary drama without rhyme or reason?
Terming the swearing-in of MLAs as a “constitutional convention”, Speaker Biman Banerjee said he considered it a “disgrace” to witness such developments in current times.
“If the Governor is so interested in taking oaths, let him come to the Assembly and celebrate that ceremony. We will make all necessary arrangements,” he said.
The spokesperson said he was not aware of any case where an MP who won a by-poll took oath before the President of India.
“The new Lok Sabha began its activities today and we witnessed the Protem chairman administering oath to the newly elected MPs. The president was nowhere to be found today,” he said.
Banerjee, who was elected MLA in the Baranagar by-election that coincided with the Lok Sabha elections, later told reporters that she had sent a letter to Raj Bhavan expressing her intentions to skip the oath ordered by the governor.
However, a Raj Bhavan official said the governor was yet to receive any such communication.
The latest clash between the Bengal Governor and the state's ruling TMC was sparked by a communication from Raj Bhavan inviting two newly elected MLAs from Bhagwangola and Baranagar, Reyat Hossain Sarkar and Banerjee respectively, to be present on July 26 for his oath ceremony.
The act, the TMC alleged, defied the Governor's custom of assigning the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker of the House to do the needful in cases of partial winners.
The letter from Raj Bhavan also reportedly does not mention who would administer the oath to the new MLAs.
“It has been more than two weeks since I was elected and I only have a year and a half left to work for the people of my constituency. This complication over the swearing-in is hindering my work as a legislator. Therefore, I have written to the governor requesting him to allow me to take oath before the Assembly Speaker as this is the place from where I will work,” Banerjee said.
State Minister Firhad Hakim, who accompanied Banerjee during his meeting with the President, recounted how he himself was sworn in by former President Hasim Abdul Halim when he first won an Assembly poll in 2009.
“By doing such things, this Governor is repeatedly trying to limit the rights of the Speaker who is the custodian of the Assembly. The Governor is betraying the people by preventing the oath of office of a representative elected by the people, unlike him, who holds a position appointed by the Centre. He is frustrating the rules and conventions of the Assembly where all members are under the custody of the Speaker. Who is he trying to satisfy? Hakim attacked.
He said: “Members cannot serve the people until they take oath. Who is the Governor to stop this process? Can the Governor go against the verdict of the people? Why is he creating such unnecessary drama without rhyme or reason?
Terming the swearing-in of MLAs as a “constitutional convention”, Speaker Biman Banerjee said he considered it a “disgrace” to witness such developments in current times.
“If the Governor is so interested in taking oaths, let him come to the Assembly and celebrate that ceremony. We will make all necessary arrangements,” he said.
The spokesperson said he was not aware of any case where an MP who won a by-poll took oath before the President of India.
“The new Lok Sabha began its activities today and we witnessed the Protem chairman administering oath to the newly elected MPs. The president was nowhere to be found today,” he said.