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Updated: Sep 03, 2019 16:08 IST

A day after he said that he was pained by incidents of violence, Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar summoned the director general of police (DGP) to his residence to discuss the law and order situation in the state.

The meeting at Raj Bhavan lasted a little over 30 minutes. This is the first instance that the governor, who took oath in July, summoned an officer of the state to discuss law and order.

Though none in the state administration would formally comment on it, officers said Sunday’s violence in Bhatpara area in Barrackpore in which local MP Arjun Singh of the BJP sustained head injuries and had to be hospitalized, was the catalyst for the governor’s decision to call the DGP for a meeting.

The governor enquired from DGP Virendra (he goes by only one name) why the violence has continued in this area for the past few months, said an officer.

The governor’s office did not release any statement about the meeting.

On the other hand, Arjun Singh, who was released from the hospital on Tuesday, accused Bengal’s ruling party Trinamool Congress of conspiring to murder him.

“I shall talk to the concerned persons for the state of West Bengal (so that it) gets peaceful atmosphere. The state of West Bengal does not need violence. Bengal must be on (the) path of progress,” Dhankhar said on Monday morning after meeting Singh at a hospital.

TMC leaders also did not comment but a minister said that if the party has anything to say at all, it will do so later. On Monday, however, Saugata Roy, TMC Lok Sabha MP had remarked that the governor should not speak politics.

A former advocate and Lok Sabha MP (1989-1991) from Janata Dal, Dhankhar (68) was sworn in as the 28th governor of the state in July.

On Monday, Dhankhar said he was troubled by violence, irrespective of who was the target.

“Holding this Constitutional position, my objective is that we must believe in the rule of law and we must believe in peace. We must avoid violence and I am in pain looking at the violence. I am in pain that something happens to teachers, lawyers, doctors and journalists. We must have a system where everyone acts in a disciplined manner and without violence,” the governor said.

Arjun Singh said that he has told the Union home minister Amit Shah and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla that Barrackpore Police commissioner Manoj Verma can get him killed any moment.

“I have told the Union home minister and LS speaker that Manoj Verma has conspired to kill me. He can get me killed by goons any moment, or he can even do the act himself,” said Singh.

“I have taken part in many agitations in the state since the days of the Left rule. But I have never seen that without even speaking to anyone, police starts beating up people including the MLA, councillors and women,” said Singh referring to the clash on Sunday.