Gujarat governor's transfer by BJP an act to damage democracy: Congress

Reacting to the transfer of Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal to Mizoram on Sunday, Congress said it was a "political transfer" and an "act to damage democracy" by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"It is a political transfer. Earlier, she was asked to resign, but she had declined. A governor should not depend on the mercy of the government or cannot be shifted as the government changed," Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Arjun Modhvadia told PTI.

Kamla Beniwal (87) took charge as the Governor of Gujarat on November 27, 2009.

"The governor performed her duty within constitutional purview, which went against the BJP so many times. This is their (BJP's) mentality. This is BJP's act to damage democracy," state Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said.

Despite the central government asking her to resign, two days ago she appointed a Congress leader as chairman of a committee to appoint the Vice Chancellor of the Saurashtra University.

"They want to see their yes man at every post. The people have already seen how the BJP-led state government had fought several cases in courts against the Gujarat governor," Doshi said.

The Gujarat governor's press secretary refused to react to the issue. "So far, I have not received any official order from Delhi about the transfer. Since it is Sunday today, the governor's office is closed. Thus, I cannot comment about news of the transfer," Gujarat Governor's press secretary MM Shaikh said.