Bureaucrats in Bengal not public servants, they are 'political servants': Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar

Siliguri (West Bengal) [India], October 13 : West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday said that bureaucrats in the state are not public servants and called them "political servants".
"I am greatly pained, disturbed at the dilution of democratic norms and values. In the State, human rights are stressed, there is no accountability and transparency. Bureaucrats here are not public servants they are political servants," Dhankhar told reporters here.
Taking a jibe at the state government, Dhankhar further said that there is no one under the constitution of West Bengal that can take the 'judgemental views' of the state governor.
"I wish to convey to the bureaucracy that there is no one under the constitution of West Bengal that can take judgemental views of the state governor. Look at the previous five years and tell me if anything happened. Tell me if you find any other place where democracy is disturbed," he added.
Over the past several months, Dhankhar has been at loggerheads with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over several issues. Banerjee had earlier also accused Dhankhar of running a "parallel administration" in the state.
Dhankhar had earlier said that "there is no rule of law in the state and the power of the police is being abused".
"There is no rule of law in this state, democracy is being hurt here. The police are being politicised. We are forgetting that we all are accountable to the law. Good governance is impossible without following the law. I take note of all violent incidents. Government employees must be apolitical. The power of the police is being abused. The anarchy of the state continues," he had said.