WB guv demands state edu minister's apology for questioning presence of his wife in official events

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday objected to state education minister Partha Chatterjee's remarks questioning why he was accompanied by his wife to official functions and asked him to publicly apologize. Dhankhar said his wife Sudesh had attended programs only when she was invited.

"The honorable minister is terribly wrong. That's a perverted concept by him. He needs to look within," the governor told reporters on the sidelines of a programme. Dhankhar also said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, being a woman, should understand the sensitivity of the matter.

"The chief minister is a woman, she must understand the sensitive aspect of this," he added. "The first lady graces occasions when invited when there was no invite she was not there. Since I happen to be the husband of the lady, I am not reacting more. If it had been any other lady, I would have reacted far more severely.

Our culture does not allow it," Dhankhar said. The governor, who has had frequent run-ins with Chatterjee since his visit to the Jadavpur University campus on September 19 last year to 'rescue' Union Minister Babul Supriyo, also said: "I will appeal to him personally, please think before you speak out... These are dangerous areas... And I am sure that he will reflect and publicly apologize."

Chatterjee had on Wednesday said that Dhankhar, unlike his predecessors, is often accompanied by his wife to official functions. "Is it not unconstitutional (on the part of the governor) to bring a third person to official functions?... Did you ever ask the Hon'ble Governor whether Mr. Dhankhar thinks he is on a PR exercise with his wife?" Chatterjee had asked.