Mamata sworn in, says will ensure end to violence

KOLKATA:

Mamata

Banerjee was sworn in as West Bengal CM for the third straight term on Wednesday but it was apparent, right from the swearing-in ceremony, that some of the tension and contradictions between Raj Bhavan and the Trinamool government evident during her second term might be carried over into the third term.


Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar brought up the issue of post-poll violence in Bengal less than 10 minutes after administering the oath of office to Banerjee, prompting her to remind him that she had not been in charge of the state administration for the last several weeks.


“Bengal does not like unrest. I will ensure there is no violence,” Banerjee said, adding that there were “some sporadic incidents”. “I will handle law and order from today... with a firm hand and will not tolerate any unrest. I will appoint proper officers so that there is no law-and-order problem,” she said.

The CM reminded the governor that “the administration was controlled by the Election Commission” for the past few weeks.

Most of the “sporadic incidents” were happening in places that “the BJP had won”, she said, adding that the EC transferred numerous officers and appointed “some inefficient” officers because of which law and order had “deteriorated”. “I will ensure no one is spared. I appeal to all not to be vindictive,” Mamata Banerjee said.

But not all the allegations were true, she said, adding: “There are several fake (incidents). (Photographs) of old incidents are being shared.” “You have tortured enough during the elections. Stop this torture or law will take its course. Bengal is a land of peace and harmony,” Banerjee said, telling a television channel later on Wednesday that the BJP “could not digest its defeat”.

Dhankhar opened the proceedings after the swearing-in ceremony. “I hope and expect that governance will be according to the Indian Constitution and rule of law. I am getting reports from within and outside the country, people are worried.... Our first priority is to stop this senseless postpoll violence... antithetical to democracy,” he said, urging the CM to restore rule of law. “Script a new governance pattern and cooperation for one and all so that the state can prosper,” Dhankhar said, adding that his “younger sister would rise above partisan interest”.

“It is not usual for a person to get a third term in a row as CM,” Dhankhar said.



He later took to Twitter to call upon the CM to “rise above partisan stance”. “There is no alibi for inaction as the model code of conduct ended at noon on May 3,” Dhankhar tweeted.

Banerjee thanked opposition leaders across the country, including Rahul Gandhi, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sharad Pawar, Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah, Tejaswi Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav, MK Stalin, Arvind Kejriwal, on Twitter.

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