KOLKATA: Amid the violence in West Bengal against the amended Citizenship Act, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday urged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to demonstrate her "true faith and allegiance" to the Constitution.
Dhankhar's comments drew sharp reactions from the TMC which asked him to "stop lecturing" Banerjee on her constitutional duties.
"I appeal to everyone please don't politicise the issue," Dhankhar told reporters at the sidelines of a programme here.
"If anyone (Banerjee) has taken oath under the Constitution, go by the Constitution. I have to protect it (Constitution). With folded hands I appeal to everyone - you have a way out under the Indian Constitution," he said.
Referring to the protests over the amended Citizenship Act, he said "If you think something has to be looked into, destroying trains, buses, railway stations, police stations is not the way out."
Violence has never solved a problem but only created it, he said.
Earlier in the day, Dhankhar in a tweet urged Banerjee to act as per her oath and show allegiance to the Constitution of India.
"@MamataOfficial. Distressed and pained at events unfolding in the State. Chief Minister as per oath has to bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India."
"And I as Governor will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and the law," Dhankhar, who has been at loggerheads with the TMC government in the state over a number of issues, tweeted.
Reacting to Dhankhar's tweets, state Law Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said, "The Governor need not explain the constitutional responsibilities of the chief minister to Mamata Banerjee, who herself has always been in the forefront of democratic movements and has been democratically elected by the people."
She sought to know the views of Dhankhar on the amended Citizenship Act, which, she said, "is against the spirit of the Constitution."
"He need not sermonise the CM, he should instead listen to others' views," Bhattacharya added.