Mamata Thanks 4 CMs, MK Stalin for support on IPS Officers’ transfer, says centre ‘brazenly interfering’

PTI, Dec 20, 2020, 7:59 PM IST

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said that the Centre is interfering with her government by transferring three IPS officers, and expressed gratitude to her counterparts of Punjab, Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan for voicing solidarity with the state on the issue. She also thanked Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin who has described the “unilateral transfer” of three West Bengal IPS officers by the BJP-led central government as “autocratic and anti-federal”.

Captain Amarinder Singh, Arvind Kejriwal, Bhupesh Baghel and Ashok Gehlot, chief ministers of Punjab, Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan respectively, recently alleged that the Centre’s order transferring the officers is interference in the functioning of West Bengal’s administration. While Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan are governed by the Congress, Delhi is ruled by the Aam Aadmi Party.

In a tweet, Banerjee said, “Centre is brazenly interfering with State Govt functioning by transferring police officers. My gratitude to @bhupeshbaghel @ArvindKejriwal @capt_amarinder @ashokgehlot51 & @mkstalin for showing solidarity to people of Bengal & reaffirming their commitment to federalism. Thank you!”

The three IPS officers were responsible for the security of BJP national president J P Nadda whose convoy was attacked by alleged Trinamool Congress activists during his recent visit to West Bengal, where Assembly polls are due next year. The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in the state is opposing the Centre’s move. In another tweet four days ago, Banerjee had termed the order of the Ministry of Home Affairs, seeking the deputation of three IPS officers of West Bengal cadre, a misuse of power and her government would not cow-down before “expansionist” and “undemocratic” forces.

In the same tweet, the Trinamool Congress supremo had claimed that the Centre’s move was against the tenets of a federal structure.