West Bengal Chief Secretary & DGP Skip Delhi Visit Despite MHA Summon Over Attack On Nadda’s Convoy

The summons were issued to the top officials following a report sent by Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on the law and order situation in West Bengal in the wake of the attack on the convoy of JP Nadda .

Images: PTI

West Bengal Govt Vs Centre: West Bengal top officers, who were summoned by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday over the alleged lapse in JP Nadda’s security in Kolkata, refused to attend the meeting, to tender explanation for the attack that left several BJP leaders and workers injured and their vehicles damaged. West Bengal Chief Secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay and DGP Virendra who were summoned by MHA, have expressed their inability to be present. Chief Secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay had written to the Union home secretary, saying that he has been directed to request to "dispense with the presence of the state officials" at the December 14 meeting. Bandopadhyay had written to Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla saying “I am directed to request you to kindly dispense with the presence of the state officials in the meeting, considering that the state government is already [taking] the issue (on the attack of BJP president’s convoy) with utmost seriousness.” The summons were issued to the top officials following a report sent by Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on the law and order situation in West Bengal and were rejected by the Mamata government. On Saturday, the MHA also sought central deputation for three IPS officers named Bholanath Pandey (SP, Diamond Harbour), Praveen Tripathi (DIG, Presidency Range) and Rajeev Mishra (ADG, South Bengal) over the mob attack on Nadda's convoy. The three officers were responsible for the security of the BJP chief during his December 9-10 visit to the state.