West Bengal former chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay has reportedly responded to the Centre’s show-cause notice on Thursday, 3 June, over his absence from the Cyclone ‘Yaas’ review meeting held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 28 May.
Bandyopadhyay received the show-cause notice on 31 May, amid the ongoing tussle between the Centre and the Bengal government.
In his response, Bandyopadhyay asserted that he was acting as per the directive of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee when he left the meeting to review the impact of Cyclone ‘Yaas’ in Digha town in Purba Medinipur district, PTI reported.
The Centre’s notice was served under the Disaster Management Act and had directed Bandopadhyay to respond within three days as to why action should not be taken against him under Section 51 of the act.
What Has Happened So Far?
The Government of India on Friday, 28 May, had asked the West Bengal government to relieve Bandyopadhyay for further posting at the Centre.
This came on the day when a fresh row had erupted between the BJP and CM Banerjee over PM Modi’s meeting on Cyclone ‘Yaas’.
Bandyopadhyay was due to retire on 31 May 2020 but had received a three-month extension from the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) on a request from the state government, which had asserted his key role in the management of the COVID situation in the state.
However, after Bandyopadhyay failed to be present on Monday morning, the Centre sent a reminder to Bandyopadhyay to report to the Personnel Ministry in Delhi at 10 am on Tuesday, failing which disciplinary action would be initiated against him.
The same day, Banerjee had written to PM Modi, saying that the state government “cannot release, and is not releasing its chief secretary at this critical hour.”
Hours later, CM Banerjee announced that Bandyopadhyay retired as chief secretary, adding that he had been appointed as her chief advisor with immediate effect.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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