Kolkata: Alapan Bandyopadhyay retired as the state Chief Secretary on Monday. He will continue to act as the chief advisor to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Earlier today, Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to withdraw the Centre's order recalling Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay, and said her government "is not releasing" the top bureaucrat.
Bandyopadhyay, a 1987-batch IAS officer of West Bengal cadre, was scheduled to retire on Monday after completion of 60 years of age. However, he was granted a three-month extension as Chief Secretary of West Bengal by the Centre in view of his work in managing the ongoing COVID pandemic.
Read: West Bengal Chief Secy not to report in Delhi on Monday: Sources
Expressing her anguish in the entire episode of recalling Bandyopadhyay even after granting him a three-month extension, the Bengal CM questioned whether the decision has any connection with her and the chief secretary's meeting with the PM at Kalaikunda in Paschim Medinipur district on May 28.
The transfer order had come within hours after a political row erupted on Friday over West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee curtailing her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the post-cyclone situation in her state to just 15 minutes.
Read: Mamata requests Modi to rescind order recalling WB chief secy
The chief minister wrote that keeping aside legitimate reservations, she had entered the meeting to hand over our report to you. You personally took the report and then I specifically and expressly sought permission from you for us to leave for Digha.
'However, in the evening, suddenly, like a bolt from the blue, came the order seeking reversion of the Chief Secretary to Delhi, the letter said.
Read: West Bengal Chief Secy not to report in Delhi on Monday: Sources
