Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, May 3: As the government – governor relations is becoming murkier in West Bengal, the chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday hit out at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said while he had a lot to say over the Sandeshkhali issue, he had kept quite over the sexual harassment charge against the governor CV Ananda Bose despite being in the state when the allegation was levelled.
The Trinamool Congress chief also asked Mr Bose – who had made a series of statements against the government over the alleged sexual harassment of women by a Trinamool leader and his aides in Sandeshkhali – how he could talk about the dignity of women when he has been accused of doing the same thing at his official residence.
The governor has denied the allegations, calling them “engineered narratives” and said he would not be surprised if more such “concocted charges” were levelled against him. The state BJP has quickly come in support of the governor with the senior party leader and Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, stating, “I support the statement that has come from Raj Bhavan. It is a heinous conspiracy by Mamata Banerjee.”
The Governor has also blocked the entry of the police and the finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, who had criticised the governor, into the Raj Bhavan premises in Kolkata, Darjeeling, and Barrackpore. Addressing a rally in Bardhaman, Ms Banerjee said, “He (PM Modi) has given so many messages (‘sandesh‘) on Sandeshkhali. I did not let any untoward incident happen there. There was an issue around land but we solved it by sending officers to the village. But what are you doing? Yesterday, a young woman working at the Raj Bhavan came out and spoke out against the governor’s harassment.”
“Even yesterday, he (the governor) asked why my minister spoke against him. I have heard of thousands of such incidents but I did not bring them up. But yesterday, the tears of the woman broke my heart. The governor spoke about Sandeshkhali but why did he do this to someone working for him? He molested her not once, but twice,” she asked.
Stating that she had seen the video of the woman’s testimony, the chief minister asked why the Prime Minister, who is in Bengal and had stayed at the Raj Bhavan on Thursday night, had not said anything. “Your people were also there when she left crying and said she was scared of working at the Raj Bhavan. She said he was called at odd hours and was subjected to harassment. And these are the people who talk about the dignity of our mothers and sisters,” she alleged.
A contractual employee working in the telephone control room in the Raj Bhavan had filed a complaint against the Governor on Thursday, accusing him of outraging her modesty, and West Bengal Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya was among the first to react to the allegation. “I wonder what is happening in the Raj Bhavan, and that too on a day when the Prime Minister is coming to the state,” the minister had said on Thursday.
Mr Bose has denied the allegations. “Truth shall triumph. I refuse to be cowed down by engineered narratives. If anybody wants some election benefits by maligning me, God Bless them. But they cannot stop my fight against corruption and violence in Bengal,” he had said on Thursday.
Reacting again on Friday, he said, “I welcome all the generous allegations and the frequent innuendoes aimed at me by some political forces. I understand, my friends, there is more in the offing. But one thing is clear, none of these absurd dramas is going to deter me from my determined efforts to expose corruption and curb violence… A more sinister plot has been hatched in the Raj Bhavan.” The ruling Trinamool Congress on Friday said the party has no role in this and demanded an impartial inquiry into the allegation to ascertain the truth.
In a recorded statement released by Raj Bhavan, Mr Bose said, “I welcome all the generous allegations and the frequent innuendoes passed on me by some political forces. I understand, my friends, there is more in the offing. But one thing is clear, none of the absurd dramas is going to deter me from my determined efforts to expose corruption and curb violence.”
Claiming that character assassination is the last resort of a “failing malevolence.” Mr Bose said, “A more sinister plot has been hatched in the Raj Bhavan.” Mr Bose also mocked the allegations saying that one day he would also be blamed for the Bengal Feminine of 1943 as well as the ‘1946 Calcutta Killings’.
“That is the nature of the political forces working in the State,” he said. The Governor said he was briefed about what he can expect in Bengal from certain political parties. “I have braved many storms. I tell the political party that is plotting against me, this is no storm. This is only a storm in a teacup. Do not be surprised if you realise I am the storm. Bring out all the weapons from your armoury. Use it against me. I am willing. I am prepared. I shall continue my fight for the dignity and respect of my brothers and sisters of Bengal,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the TMC’s women’s wing has planned a protest rally in Kolkata. Speaking at a press conference in Kolkata on Friday, a day after the governor banned the entry of state Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya into the Raj Bhavan premises, state Women and Child Development Minister Sashi Panja said, “Governor is in arrogance mode and banned our finance minister from entering Raj Bhavan. Did he ever think that we were willing to go there? After this allegation, are we ready to enter that place? Ask us first.”
The governor also banned police entry into Raj Bhavan premises under the guise of “conducting unauthorised, illegitimate, sham and motivated ‘investigation’ to placate political bosses during elections,” the statement added.
