'Won't Allow To Control Bengal By Proxy': Mamata Fumes At MHA Over Fresh Letter To IPS Officers

Mamata Banerjee called the fresh communication “a colourable exercise of power and blatant misuse of emergency provision of IPS Cadre Rule 1954”.

Mamata Banerjee addresses during a rally at Rashmela Ground in Cooch Behar district. (Image: PTI)

Kolkata: The Union Home Ministry on Thursday, in a fresh letter to the West Bengal Government Chief Secretary and DGP again asked to immediately relieve three IPS officers from the state and stated that the state government has failed to follow the rules according to Section 6 (1) of IPS cadre rules - “in case of any disagreement, the Centre’s decision shall prevail”. Hitting out at the center West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that Modi Government is abusing its powers and called the fresh communication, “a colourable exercise of power and blatant misuse of emergency provision of IPS Cadre Rule 1954”. The West Bengal CM took to Twitter and through a series of tweets targeting the Union Government said, “This act is nothing but a deliberate attempt to encroach upon the State’s jurisdiction & demoralize the serving officers in WB. This move, particularly before the election is against the basic tenets of the federal structure. It’s unconstitutional & completely unacceptable!” “We will not allow this brazen attempt by the Centre to control the State machinery by proxy! West Bengal is not going to cow-down in front of expansionist & undemocratic forces,” her tweet quoted. The Home Ministry headed by Amit Shah had asked the West Bengal Government to immediately release IPS officers - Bholanath Pandey, Rajeev Mishra, and Praveen Tripathi - for central deputation for five years after the Bengal Police failed to prevent the attack on Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief JP Nadda and other party leaders. According to the ministry, the IPS Bholanath Pandey will be posted as SP Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), IPS Praveen Tripathi DIG Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and Rajeev Mishra as IG Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). Officials of the Central Home Ministry have said that the West Bengal government and DGP failed to cooperate with the Centre and their letter, dated December 11 (in which the three officers refused to appear before the Union ministry), was “unsatisfactory”. According to a senior officer, if they don’t want to face any actions, they need to report to their respective postings immediately.