Congress calls govt's decision to recall Bengal Chief Secy a 'death knell for federalism'

Congress' Chief Spokesperson and General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala termed Centre's decision to recall West Bengal Chief Secretary and asking him to join New Delhi as a death knell for federalism. He said that the decision is the Union government's lethal assault on democracy which will create anarchy in India.

New Delhi: Soon after the Central government passed an order to recall West Bengal Chief Secretary, asking him to join New Delhi, Congress termed the decisions as a "death knell for federalism".

Congress' Chief Spokesperson and General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala released a statement over the matter, calling it the Union government's "lethal assault" on democracy which will create anarchy in the country.

He said, "The abrupt, malicious and unilateral recall of West Bengal’s Chief Secretary by Modi government has shocked the conscience of the entire nation. This is a double whammy, when viewed because the Chief Secretary was granted an extension for three months by Modi government itself, as recently as four days ago."

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The decision to recall Bengal's Chief Secretary was being taken on the day a row broke out over a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the destruction which took place due to cyclone Yaas.

Surjewala stated, "This is a lethal blow to the Constitution of India, as also Federalism. If the Union government is permitted to recall the All India Service Officers i.e. IAS and IPS from the states for bipartisan political considerations and at its whims and fancies, the entire architecture of the rule of law and the Constitution will crumble."

"If the Head of bureaucracy in a state, i.e. the Chief Secretary will be summarily removed by the Union government, why would any IAS or IPS officer, whether a District Magistrate or a secretary or a police officer, listen to and follow the orders of the state government or implement any policy or programme devised by the state government? This would lead to complete and total anarchy in the country," he further asserted.

The Centre has asked West Bengal to send its Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay to the Department of Personnel and Training's office in Delhi by May 31 morning. This was being done after Bandyopadhyay's tenure was extended for three months only four days ago.

"Will the Prime Minister, the DPOT and the BJP government disclose the reason for the U-turn in recalling the Chief Secretary within four days of granting him a three months extension?" the Congress leader asked.

Congress' senior leader and former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh also tweeted over the matter, "Independent India has not seen a PM and HM with bigger egos and smaller minds. This move in the middle of a pandemic and the aftermath of a devastating cyclone shows how they are still licking their Bengal wounds post-elections. Pathetic!"

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On another matter, Surjewala stated that the ongoing saga in Calcutta High Court is grossly disturbing and bodes ill for an independent judiciary.

He said in the context of the recent letter written by Justice Arindam Sinha, a sitting Judge of the Calcutta High Court, wherein he lamented, “Our conduct is unbecoming of the majesty the High Court commands. We have been reduced to a mockery…..”.

"Under the ongoing open differences in Calcutta High Court in hearing and listing of cases against TMC Ministers, the coloured and revengeful recall of the Chief Secretary by Modi government has given an unmistakable impression that Union government is trying to dislodge a just elected government. It becomes even more sinister in the background of the fact that Prime Minister and all Union Ministers had immersed themselves in the poll campaign in West Bengal and yet the BJP was defeated," Surjewala asserted.

He added, "Indian National Congress calls upon every jurist, constitutional expert, elected representative and every countryman to rise in unison to condemn this unpardonable attack on India’s constitutional ethos and the federal structure by Union BJP government."

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