On Thursday, an employee at the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata made an allegation of molestation against West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose. Despite the allegation, the governor denied about the incident, but the incident stirred up a significant political controversy.
In a post on X Raj Bhawan Kolkata said, “To the Raj Bhavan staff who expressed solidarity with Hon’ble Governor Dr. CV Ananda Bose against whom some derogatory narratives were circulated by two disgruntled employees as agents of political parties, Hon’ble Governor said:”
There Governor CV Ananda Bose denied the alligation by saying, ““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.”
Coincidentally, this incident ocurred during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the governor’s residence as part of his two-day trip to the state.
Police Said About The West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose case
As per a police officer familiar with the situation, a contractual staffer at the Raj Bhavan alleged that the governor had molested her on two occasions in his chamber since April 24.
“The woman came crying to the police outpost on the Raj Bhavan premises on Thursday evening, stating that the governor had molested her after summoning her to his chamber under the guise of discussing a permanent job offer. She reported that the first incident occurred on April 24. Additionally, she mentioned that she had brought her supervisor along on Thursday when the governor requested to meet her. But Bose instructed the supervisor to leave before molesting her again,” the officer disclosed, preferring to remain anonymous.
According to Hindustan Times second police officer, who chose to remain anonymous, stated: “A female officer from Lalbazar dispatched to the outpost to accompany the woman to Hare Street police station, where several IPS officers promptly convened in response to the seriousness of the complaint. The woman provided a written statement, disclosing that she had employed as a temporary staff member at Raj Bhavan since June 2019. She mentioned residing in the staff quarters on the premises due to her family’s absence from Kolkata.”
As of the time of reporting the incident, no First Information Report (FIR) had been filed.
Police officers at Lalbazar headquarters revealed that senior IPS officers had convened to discuss legal options, considering that Article 361 of the Constitution prohibits the filing of criminal or civil cases against a governor or the President.
The allegations sparked controversy as Modi arrived at the Raj Bhavan during his state visit. Scheduled to address three rallies for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in the state on Friday, Modi’s presence intensified the situation.
Authorities at the Raj Bhawan Imposed Ban on Police Entry
Additionally, authorities at the Raj Bhavan imposed a ban on police entry for conducting investigations. “The Honorable Governor has prohibited police entry into the Raj Bhavan premises under the guise of unauthorized, illegitimate, sham, and politically motivated ‘investigations’ to please political bosses during elections,” stated the governor’s office in a separate declaration.
The Raj Bhavan also enforced a ban on the entry of state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya into all three governor’s residences located in Kolkata, Darjeeling, and Barrackpore. Furthermore, it announced intentions to abstain from events attended by her, prompting a strong reaction from the TMC leader.
“This incident is both appalling and shocking. It’s worth noting that this is the same governor who had previously visited Sandeshkhali to discuss women’s rights and Nari Shakti,” stated West Bengal Women and Child Development Minister Shashi Panja. By referring to allegations of crimes against women by TMC leaders in Sandeshkhali, located in the state’s North 24 Parganas district.
“This is disgraceful that the governor allegedly used the promise of offering a permanent job to take advantage of the situation. We urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who scheduled to address rallies in Bengal tomorrow, to address this matter,” she emphasized.
In response, former Bengal BJP chief Tathagata Roy, who previously served as governor in Meghalaya, Tripura, and Arunachal Pradesh, stated: “I have known this governor since his time as an IAS officer. Personally, I believe he is incapable of such misconduct. Additionally, Article 361 protects governors from being charged under criminal and civil laws. The TMC overlooked this fact while attempting to divert attention from allegations of women’s molestation by its leaders in Sandeshkhali and the numerous scandals involving its members.”
