Show cause notice served to Mamata's Man Friday, Alapan, entails two-years imprisonment: 'Fear quotient' threatens rule of law in Bengal, says Guv

Show cause notice served to Alapan entails even two-years imprisonment

The Union Home Ministry has served a show-cause notice to former chief secretary of West Bengal, Alapan Bandyopadhyay, under a stringent provision of the Disaster Management Act that entails imprisonment up to two years.

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Former Chief Secretary has been asked to reply within three days to the notice. 

In a nine-point rejoinder, the central government sources strongly rebutted Mamata Banerjee's claims that she was 'waiting' for the Prime Minister.

"PM (Narendra Modi) landed at Kalaikunda at 1.59 pm. Mamata Banerjee landed at Kalaikunda after the PM at 2.10 pm. It is clear that PM was kept waiting for Mamata Banerjee as he landed much before her. 

This was also confirmed by a TMC MP who tweeted that there was no big deal in the PM being kept waiting," said government sources. 

This is in reference to a tweet from Trinamool MP, Mahua Moitra, who wrote on May 28:

"So much fuss over an alleged 30 min wait? Indians waiting 7 years for ₹15 lakhs

Waiting hours at ATM queues. Waiting months for vaccines due . Thoda aap bhi wait kar lijiye kabhi kabhi..."

A home ministry source said that hours before Chief Minister announced his retirement on Monday, Bandyopadhyay was served the notice for refusing to comply with lawful direction of the central government in violation of Section 51-B of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

Mamata has given "entirely false statements" and she "boycotted" a meeting with Prime Minister.

The Chief Minister has said she had another scheduled meeting and that she had asked the PM's permission before leaving. PM Modi never gave permission to Mamata Banerjee to leave the review meeting as she claims, sources said in Delhi. 

To her claim about being informed belatedly about the Prime Minister's schedule, the sources commented that a meeting to assess cyclone damage could hardly be finalised "before the cyclone comes".

Ms Banerjee's allegation that she was forced to wait for the PM was also rejected by government sources. On Ms Banerjee saying she had to wait for 20 minutes and her chopper had to hover because the PM's chopper was to land, the sources said she should have come in advance, "as everyone does when PM is supposed to land at any airport".

After her chopper landed at the air base, the Chief Minister reached the building where the meeting was to take place, around 500 metres away. "After meeting the PM, she departed for her next journey at 2.35 pm. So in effect, she travelled 500 metres to and fro, met PM and departed in 25 minutes. She left before the PM left, which is clearly contrary to accepted practices and protocol". 

It is clear that Mamata Banerjee's statement of being made to wait is entirely false and that she made the PM wait," government sources said.

The sources also said Mamata Banerjee had agreed to attend the PM's review but had changed her mind after learning that her former aide-turned-BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari, who is the state's Leader of Opposition, would be in the meeting. 

Trinamool's landslide victory in assembly polls was also marred by her defeat to Mr Adhikari in Nandigram. 

"Mamata Banerjee chose to boycott the review meeting because the Leader of Opposition of WB was present. No issue was created by government on this, because what mattered was Cyclone relief activities". 

It was suggested to her that PM will meet her immediately after the review meeting as that was the reason for which he traveled to West Bengal. 

"Sensing that she may have to wait till the review meeting gets over, she chose to prevent other officers too from attending the meeting and in effect cancelled the review meeting scheduled by the Prime Minister," the sources alleged.

The Centre defended its moves against Alapan Bandyopadhyay, who was ordered to report to Delhi after the meeting controversy. 

"The order is perfectly constitutional since Chief Secretary is an All India Services officer. He chose to ignore his constitutional duties, as a result of which no presentation was given to PM and no officer of the West Bengal government attended the PM's review meeting," sources said.

Mamata decided to boycott PM's cyclone-review meet 'the previous night', says Governor

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has flayed the conduct of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and former Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay for their conduct at Prime Minitser's review meeting on Cylcone Yaas and urged media to "introspectively check" how fear quotient works in the state.

"All constitutional principles were torn asunder by CM @MamataOfficial and functionaries of IAS association at PM Review Meet #CycloneYaas. Democracy imperilled by such unconstitutional stance. Time #Media to introspectively check fear quotient in WB that threatens rule of law," he wrote in a series of tweets. 

He also wrote, "With unparalleled trampling of constitutional values and affront to the office of PM, May 28 will go down as ‘a dark day’ in India’s long-standing ethos of cooperative federalism. At PM Review Meet #CycloneYaas democracy was shredded".  

"Constrained by false narrative to put record straight: On May 27 at 2316 hrs CM @MamataOfficial messaged “may i talk? urgent”. Thereafter on phone indicated boycott by her & officials of PM Review Meet #CycloneYaas if LOP Suvendu Adhikari attends it. Ego prevailed over Public service." 

The tweets from the Governor came amid reports that the centre may initiate disciplinary action against the former Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay, who has 'retired' and has been given a political assignment as Chief Advisor to the Chief Minister. 

Ms Banerjee also appointed H K Dwivedi as the new Chief Secretary. 

BJP chief J P Nadda on Friday said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee skipping the meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "murder of constitutional ethos". 

The centre now wants to act tough and send a strong signal to the IAS and IPS community.