Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy criticized the Trinamool Congress for "hushing up news of riots"
Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy was shown black flags by Trinamool Congress activists on Thursday after he backed his West Bengal counterpart in the latter's stand-off with the Mamata Banerjee government. Mr Roy accused the Mamata Banerjee regime of hushing up the news of communal violence in Basirhat sub-division in Bengal.
Iterating that Bengal Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi was right in questioning the Trinamool government on the Basirhat violence, Mr Roy said: "The Governor is well within his rights to ask questions. If the need be, he can also give suggestions (to the state government). There is nothing wrong in this."
During a telephonic conversation with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday, Mr Tripathi had reportedly expressed his annoyance over the state police and administration not doing their bit to control the violence and suggested the state government ask for central forces.
Soon after her discussions with Mr Tripathi, Ms Banerjee alleged that he had "threatened and humiliated her".
Mr Roy refused to go by Ms Banerjee's version. "As far as I know him (Keshri Nath Tripathi), he is not the sort of person to humiliate or threaten somebody," he said on the sidelines of a programme marking the 116th birth anniversary celebrations of Syama Prasad Mookerjee.
Mr Roy said he had been witness to riots during the 34-year Left Front rule as well as during the incumbent Trinamool regime. "I have seen that this government always tries to hush up news of riots," he said.
He said even the state media earlier did not report on riots. Mr Roy said the malady could not be cured by hiding the facts. "You need to administer the right medicine and treatment to cure the malady. You need to take action," he said at the programme organised at Calcutta University's College Street campus.
As Mr Roy came out of the auditorium after the programme, members of the Trinamool Congress students' wing staged a black flag protest against him. They also raised slogans demanding Mr Tripathi be removed from the post of state governor.