West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who also oversees the home department, has opted not to attend the two-day gathering of state home ministers organized by the Centre in Surajkund, Haryana, according to a senior official.
The state government will not delegate Home Secretary B P Gopalika or Director General of Police (DGP) Manoj Malviya to the event. Instead, Additional Director General (home guard) Niraj Kumar Singh will represent West Bengal at the ‘Chintan Shivir’ starting Thursday. West Bengal Resident Commissioner in New Delhi, Ram Das Meena, is also slated to attend the meeting.
The official explained that due to ongoing festivities, including Bhai Phota (Bhai Dooj) on Thursday and the upcoming ‘Chhat Puja,’ it is not feasible for the chief minister to leave the state. Consequently, the home secretary and DGP won’t be able to participate in the Chintan Shivir for the same reasons as the chief minister.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had extended an invitation to Banerjee last month for the meeting, where Shah is scheduled to confer with home ministers from all states, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address the assembly on the concluding day, October 28.