Federalism is at stake, said Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
New Delhi:
West Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, involved in an intense battle with the central government over administrative issues, has found the support of her Chhattisgarh counterpart, Bhupesh Baghel. The leader of Congress has “condemned” what he considered to be “interference by the Center” in state affairs.
In a tweet posted on Friday, Baghel said that “federalism was at stake again.” He cited Ms. Banerjee’s tweet in which she sought to denounce the “blatant misuse” of the emergency provisions of the Indian Police Service by the central government.
Federalism is back at stake. The BJP government in the center has invaded the state administration area and transferred officers. And that also before the elections.
The Center’s interference is highly objectionable and reprehensible. https://t.co/GdXxMjp5SK– Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) December 18, 2020
The Union government, on December 17, asked three officers from the West Bengal Indian Police Service to report for the central delegation with immediate effect, overriding the state’s objections that they could not help it.
Ms Banerjee then tweeted: “The central delegation government order for the three IPS officers on duty from West Bengal despite the state’s objection is a colorful exercise of power and a flagrant abuse of the emergency provision of IPS Cadre Rule 1954 “.
The three IPS agents were summoned by the Center one day after an attack on the convoy of BJP President JP Nadda near Calcutta last week.
The BJP has funneled a considerable amount of time and resources into West Bengal in recent months, with the upcoming State Assembly elections in mind. The party is interested in securing at least 200 seats in the 294-member West Bengal House. The ruling Trinamool, for his part, has aggressively countered the BJP’s moves, making state polls a high-stakes game.
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