Mamata Banerjee Blocks West Bengal Governor On Twitter, Here's Why

The relationship between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has often made it to the headlines for being less than amicable. From calling Dhankar a "BJP agent" to TMC workers showing him black flags, the ruling party in Bengal has long made their disapproval of the former lawyer evident. On Monday, Banerjee went a step further by blocking him on Twitter.

Claiming that she was "disturbed" by his regular posts against her government on the microblogging platform, Banerjee on Monday announced that she had indeed blocked his profile on Twitter. Addressing the media, Banerjee also said that Dhankhar has threatened the chief secretary and the director general of police on several occasions.

Banerjee was addressing the media regarding the renewed lifting of Covid-19 restrictions across the state when she made the announcement. The CM said she has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi several times, seeking the removal of Dhankhar. 

"However, no action has been taken so far," Banerjee, who shares an acrimonious relationship with the governor, said.

This is not the first time that the rivalry between Banerjee and Dhankar has made it to the open. In the past, Banerjee has referred to Dhankar as an "RSS man" while the latter has maintained that he has always acted according to the Constitution.

The duo has clashed over several incidents since Dhankar took charge as the Governor of Bengal in 2019. Following violence and rioting in Bhatpara in 2019 around the time of his appointment, Dhnakar had summoned the DGP to discuss the law and order situation, a move that did not sit well with TMC, though no official reaction was made. 

Later in September, Dhankar arrived at the rescue of the then Union Minister and BJP leader Babul Supriyo when he was shown black flags by students and protesters in Jadavpur University in Kolkata. TMC's secretary-general and state's education minister Partha Chatterjee had at the time alleged that Dhankar went to JU even after Banerjee requested him not to as TMC was trying to bring the situation under control.