Dhankhar raises concern over Mamata's reference to relations with non-Bengali bureaucrats to woo voters

West Bengal Governor JagdeepDhankhar on Friday raised concern over Chief Minister MamataBanerjees reference to her relations with non-Bengalibureaucrats in a bid to woo Hindi-speaking voters ahead of theassembly elections due in April-May.Banerjee, while interacting with Hindi-speakers at theTMC headquarters on Thursday, had said that many of herofficers like DGP Virendra, former chief secretary RajivaSinha and former Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar arefrom other states and they share excellent relations with her.Reiterating that the political neutrality ofbureaucrats has been compromised, the governor asserted thatthe official positioning of the state government cannot be onconsiderations of regionalism.Why in name of officials

West Bengal Governor JagdeepDhankhar on Friday raised concern over Chief Minister MamataBanerjee's reference to her relations with non-Bengalibureaucrats in a bid to woo Hindi-speaking voters ahead of theassembly elections due in April-May.

Banerjee, while interacting with Hindi-speakers at theTMC headquarters on Thursday, had said that many of herofficers like DGP Virendra, former chief secretary RajivaSinha and former Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar arefrom other states and they share excellent relations with her.

Reiterating that the political neutrality ofbureaucrats has been compromised, the governor asserted thatthe official positioning of the state government cannot be onconsiderations of regionalism.

''Why in name of officials! Why drag administration@HomeBengal & police @WBPolice in this! Surely officialpositioning @MamataOfficial cannot be on such considerationsof regionalism or otherwise. Time to set high standards asalready there was abysmal low in earlier elections,'' Dhankhartweeted.

During the interaction, Banerjee had accused the BJPof creating a Bengali-non-Bengali divide and urged the Hindi-speaking voters to exercise their franchise in favour of theruling party in the state.

Sharing a video of Banerjee's reference to theofficials, Dhankhar tweeted: ''Deeply concerned and disturbedat video @MamataOfficial-attention drawn by political &otherwise worried quarters. Alarming scenario! 'POLITICALNEUTRALITY' @WBPolice @HomeBengal being compromised &political commitment promoted. This aberration augurs ill forfair election.'' PTI AMRACD ACD