MK Stalin said he assured Mamata Banerjee of the DMK’s commitment to maintain the autonomy of the state.
Chennai:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin tweeted today, Chief Ministers of opposition-ruled states will soon meet in Delhi to discuss “constitutional encroachment and brazen abuse of power by governors”. He said the matter was flagged off by Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had suggested a meeting.
Mr Stalin’s tweet read, “Dear Didi @MamataOfficial Call me to share your concern and anguish on the abuse of power and abuse of power by the Governors of non-BJP ruled states. He suggested meeting of Opposition Chief Ministers. “
“I assured them the commitment of the DMK to maintain the autonomy of the state. Opposition chief ministers’ conference will be held out of Delhi soon!” Added another post.
dear sister @MamataOfficial Called me to share my concern and anguish over the constitutional redundancies and ruthless abuse of power by the Governors of non-BJP ruled states. He suggested a meeting of opposition chief ministers. (1/2)
— mkstalin (@mkstalin) 13 February 2022
The tussle between the governors and the lieutenant governors and chief ministers in Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Goa during the Congress rule made headlines. Ms Banerjee’s Bengal has led the region with the governor and the chief minister sparring over several issues.
In Tamil Nadu, Mr Stalin has accused Governor RN Ravi of letting the Center block the state’s anti-NEET bill, meant to crack the national medical entrance exam. Mr Stalin and some other like-minded parties have decided to send the bill to the governor again, demanding that it be sent to President Ram Nath Kovind for his assent.
Ms Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress has announced that it will bring a “resolution” in the ongoing budget session of the Assembly against Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, accusing him of violating constitutional limits.
The chief minister had blocked the governor on Twitter as he said that the state has become “a gas chamber for democracy”. He also said that he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi several times, requesting him to be removed, but no action was taken.
In Delhi, following an ongoing tussle between Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Lieutenant Governor, the Center last year passed a controversial bill giving more powers to a representative of the Center than the elected government of the city.
The law came after the Supreme Court in 2018 ruled that the Lieutenant Governor does not have independent decision-making power and the actual power should be with the elected government.
“A balanced federal structure dictates that the Union does not seek to usurp all powers and the states enjoy independence without any unwanted interference from the Centre,” the court said, adding that “no room for absolutism”. And there is no place for anarchy either”.
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