Bengal Guv attacks Mamata for giving science festival a miss

Kolkata, Nov 8 (IANS) West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed regret that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee did not show up at the fifth India International Science Festival which concluded here on Friday.

On the concluding day of the 4-day festival, Dhankhar said: “It would have been better if the government had actively participated, especially when it was the first time the festival was being held in the city. Mamata Banerjee should have attended the event.”

Criticising Mamata for boycotting the event, Dhankhar added, “it is not good that science is viewed through the prism of politics. I regret that the science festival was politicised by the government.”

The Governor was the chief guest at the Science Festival. Union Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Harsh Vardhan also attended the event on the final day.

Just two days ago, Union Minister of State for Environment Babul Supriyo, who had come to visit the Science Festival, had also expressed regret that no state official or minister participated in the event. “In other states, ministers, officials took part in the event, but here the West Bengal government totally boycotted it. It is disappointing,” he had said.

The India International Science Festival was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi through video conferencing on Tuesday.

The four-day festival saw limited participation from local schools and colleges.