West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday drew strong reactions from political parties and netizens for tweeting that many saw prospects of growth or opportunity in violence and their condemnation was selective.

Though Dhankhar did not mention any specific incident, it was taken to be a reference to Delhi communal riots. His tweet appeared hours before Bengal Congress president Somen Mitra and Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury led separate protest peace rallies in Kolkata demanding union home minister Amit Shah's resignation over Delhi violence.

"Those who see in violence, prospects of growth or opportunity are just not civil. Violence in thought /action calls for unqualified condemnation. To hate one form of violence and ignore or observe silence on the other is a crime against humanity. Such selective approach (is) inhuman," Dhankhar tweeted.

His comment drew strong reactions. Replying to the tweet, many accused him of being biased. Some even posted images of victims of the Delhi violence.

"If the governor is accusing people of being selective then what is he doing? He is supposed to uphold the Constitution and its values. He should resign," said Somen Mitra.

"He cannot understand the meaning of violence by attending puja at chief minister Mamata Banerjee's residence or sharing the dais with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has to hit the streets with common people. I think Dhankhar is trying hard to prove that he is human," said Md Salim, politburo member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

HT contacted several TMC ministers but none of them wanted to comment.