Kolkata:

Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has flagged protocol violation during his visit to Siliguri yesterday, in a letter to the state government, sources have told NDTV.

The Governor flew in from Delhi to meet the victims of the recent violence at Siliguri State Guest House.

There have been incidents of violence in Bengal since last year’s panchayat elections but this cannot continue, Mr Bose said on Tuesday.

“Such incidents are happening under the leadership, support and patronage of the state government. The ruling party, bureaucrats, and corrupt police personnel are behind these incidents,” Mr Bose said after meeting the victims in Siliguri. He is likely to submit a report on his findings to the central government.

Sources in the Raj Bhavan say protocol was not followed on Tuesday when the Governor arrived at the Bagdogra airport. The Superintendent of Police (SP) and District Magistrate (DM) were not there to receive him.

It is protocol for the SP and DM to be present when the Governor arrives.

The Governor, say sources, has informed about the incident to the Union Home Minister and at least two top officials of the state, including the Chief Secretary and Police Commissioner of Kolkata.

Sources say another IPS officer has also been named by the Governor.

The 73-year-old Governor has sought action against these officials and alleged that they have been instrumental in false cases filed against him.

The Governor and the Bengal Government have been on a collision course after a Raj Bhavan staffer filed a sexual assault complaint against the Governor earlier this year.

The police have carried out a probe even as the Governor has blocked the police from entering the Raj Bhavan.

The Governor has also filed a defamation case against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over alleged comments made by her.

During an administrative meeting in the state secretariat on June 27, Ms Banerjee said “women have informed me they are afraid to visit Raj Bhavan due to recent incidents reported there”.

Following the Chief Minister’s remarks, the Governor had said it was expected of public representatives not to create “erroneous and slanderous impressions”.

In response, Sanjay Basu, Mamata Banerjee’s lawyer, said, “We have come to know that a defamation suit has been filed against the CM and others over alleged statements by the CM that women feel unsafe at Raj Bhavan. Given recent incidents where women have approached law enforcement agencies with allegations concerning Raj Bhavan, it would be fair justification to state the agony of women, more so when the CM herself is a woman.”

“Though we haven’t received copies, the suit also seems to be an attempt to canvass other political issues by the Governor such as his refusal to let elected members take their oath before the Speaker in the garb of defamation. We will defend these allegations appropriately,” Mr Basu added.

Kolkata:

Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has demanded a report from the ruling Trinamool Congress on the violence in Sandeshkhali on poll day. But he was met with a rebuff. Senior party leader Shashi Panja said the Governor should “first explain what is the status of the sexual harassment probe against him”.

The letter posted on X, formerly Twitter, from Raj Bhavan, mentioned that the Governor has kept a “close watch on the evolving situation during the last phase of the elections in the state”.

“Such ghastly incidents of violence in Sandeshkhali, particularly on women, are the manifestations of the frustration which is faced by those who control the police in the State. Any expectation that the people’s anger against injustices by the misguided authorities can be crushed by violence is not acceptable,” read the letter from the Governor, who was among the first to visit Sandeshkhali after reports of sexual harassment of women by a local leader of the Trinamool Congress.

pic.twitter.com/E31NV82S2y

— Raj Bhavan Kolkata (@BengalGovernor) June 1, 2024

In February, Sandeshkhali, an island in the Sundarbans, erupted, with a group of people, mostly women, holding massive protest marches against the local Trinamool leader Sheikh Shahjahan, accusing him of land grabbing and sexual exploitation.

The massive political row that followed made it one of the key election issues.

Events on the ground, though, went through multiple twists and turns, the last of which involved a viral video that claimed that some women were bribed by a BJP leader who wanted them to claim that they had been raped.

On Saturday, as the seventh and the last phase of election was in progress, clashes broke out between supporters of the BJP and Trinamool in Sandeshkhali over allegations of electoral malpractices. BJP candidate Rekha Patra alleged that Trinamool goons stopped people from casting their votes. The Trinamool accused her and BJP goons of trying to vitiate the poll atmosphere.

The two groups came to blows on the Basanti Express highway, and the police used batons and tear gas to restore calm.

Less than 24 hours later, Sandeshkhali witnessed another round of skirmishes between women and the police.

Earlier today, women in Agarhati village got involved in a scuffle with the Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel, fell tree trunks, and blocked roads when the police went in search of a few persons who allegedly attacked them on Saturday.

Kolkata:

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has issued a directive to all staff members of Raj Bhavan in Kolkata, instructing them to disregard any communication from the state police regarding the recent sexual harassment complaint filed against him by a temporary staffer.

The directive, shared on the official handle of Raj Bhavan, explicitly prohibits staff members, whether permanent or temporary, from making any statements online, offline, in person, over the phone, or through any other means regarding the ongoing investigation.

This move follows the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) by the Kolkata Police to probe the allegations against the Governor, including the SIT’s request for CCTV footage from the Raj Bhavan premises.

In his notification, Governor Bose cited Article 361 (2) and (3) of the Constitution, which grants immunity to governors from any investigation or legal proceedings during their term in office by the state police.

The Kolkata Police, however, has remained undeterred, actively pursuing leads in the case. The SIT has reportedly sought to speak with witnesses and obtain evidence relevant to the complaint.

The allegations surfaced ahead of a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi is in Kolkata and is spending the night at the Raj Bhavan.  

Police sources said this afternoon, a woman claiming to be a temporary staff member attached to the Peace Room in the Raj Bhavan had approached the police post located inside the Governor’s House and accused Mr Bose of molesting her.

The Governor, who has vehemently denied the accusations since their emergence, recently released an audio message alleging political motives behind the controversy. He warned Raj Bhavan staff to remain vigilant against potential infiltrators with malicious intent.

Kolkata:

Maintaining that Rabindranath Tagore was an emotion, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Wednesday said that the Nobel laureate’s memory cannot be obliterated or ignored.

Mr Bose made the comment when asked by reporters about the row over the plaques installed at the Visva-Bharati, founded by Tagore, to mark the UNESCO world heritage tag.

The plaques installed at the central university’s Santiniketan campus in Birbhum district do not have Tagore’s name, but bear those of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is the chancellor, and Vice-chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty.

“Tagore is a feeling, an emotion felt in the heart of Indians. There cannot be any instance where Gurudev’s memory is obliterated or ignored. Gurudev enjoys the highest respect in the minds of all Indians,” said Mr Bose, who is also the rector of the varsity, on the sidelines of a programme at the Raj Bhavan.

Santiniketan, where Tagore built Visva-Bharati over a century ago, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in September.

The omission of Tagore’s name led to a row between the state government and the varsity authorities following which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee demanded immediate replacement of the plaques.

The Trinamool Congress is holding a demonstration outside the varsity demanding removal of the plaques as they do not have Tagore’s name on them.

“Established in rural West Bengal in 1901 by the renowned poet and philosopher, Rabindranath Tagore, Santiniketan was a residential school and centre for art based on ancient Indian traditions and on a vision of the unity of humanity transcending religious and cultural boundaries,” according to a UNESCO website.

Tagore set up a university there in 1921. Ten years after his death, Visva-Bharati was declared a central university and an institution of national importance by an Act of Parliament in 1951.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata/Santiniketan:

Even as a Trinamool Congress demonstration against the omission of Rabindranath Tagore’s name from plaques installed at Visva-Bharati to mark it being declared a global heritage site by UNESCO threatened to become a major political issue, it is learnt that West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, who is also the rector of the university, has intervened and demanded an explanation from the vice-chancellor.

TMC leaders and workers congregated near the central university since 11 am on Friday to demonstrate against the plaques which were earlier placed by the varsity authorities. The move had irked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who announced the agitation on Thursday.

Sources in Raj Bhavan said after the Governor demanded an explanation on the omission of Tagore’s name, VC Professor Bidyut Chakrabarty has clarified that the text to be engraved on the plaque had been submitted to the Department of Archaeology, Government of India, for approval.

Governor Bose is said to have indicated “that Gurudev Tagore is a symbol of the greatness and gravitas of Bengal, Bharat and humanity at large” and he should be honoured in the new plaques to be installed.

The scene at Santiniketan where TMC had announced an indefinite agitation remained peaceful with demonstrators singing Tagore songs and reciting poetry.

West Government Fisheries Minister and TMC leader Chandranath Sinha, who led the demonstration, told reporters, “We will stay here with our protest till the plaques are rectified. We are not withdrawing our demonstration.” 

He pointed out that local residents, alumni of the university and other concerned citizens had never sought any plaques, but since they have been put up with only the names of the chancellor, who is traditionally the prime minister of the country, and the vice-chancellor, they wanted recognition for Tagore, the founder of the university.

Earlier on Thursday, Ms Banerjee had told reporters, “It is only for Tagore that Santiniketan got the UNESCO tag and you (the central government) have removed his name from the plaques. We were silent because of Durga Puja celebrations.” 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

Two confidential sealed letters, one sent to the state Secretariat and the other to the Centre, is the latest flashpoint between West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose and state education minister Bratya Basu after the latter accused Mr Bose of trying to “destroy” the higher education system in the state and running a “puppet regime” in universities.

Following Mr Basu’s strong allegations, Governor Bose had on Saturday warned of “midnight action”. 

“Wait for the stroke of midnight today. You will see what is the action,” Governor Bose said. 

As the clock approached midnight, two confidential and sealed letters were dispatched to their destinations, sparking a new twist in the ongoing feud between the two leaders. 

Governor Bose signed the letters shortly after a meeting with Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi at the Bengal Raj Bhavan. The meeting was not made public by either the state government or the Governor’s office. 

Soon after Governor Bose’s stern warning, Mr Basu took a veiled swipe at him, referring to him as the “new vampire in town” and warning people to “beware”.

“See till midnight, see the action BEWARE! BEWARE! BEWARE! New Vampire in the town! Citizens please watch yourselves. Eagerly waiting for the “Rakkhas Prahar” (monster prahar), according to Indian Mythology!,” Mr Basu posted on X, formerly on Twitter. 

“See till midnight, see the action”
BEWARE! BEWARE! BEWARE!
New Vampire in the town! Citizens please watch yourselves. Eagerly waiting for the “Rakkhas Prahar”, according to Indian Mythology!

— Bratya Basu (@basu_bratya) September 9, 2023

In the latest round of the ongoing feud between the West Bengal government and the Raj Bhavan over the appointment of interim vice-chancellors in universities, 

Mr Basu accused the governor of deliberately undermining the state’s higher education system. The minister also accused the governor, who is also the chancellor of state-run universities, of running a “puppet regime” in the universities and of using intimidation tactics to prevent registrars from meeting with the higher education department.

“The honourable governor wants to run a puppet regime by appointing people according to his whims to satisfy someone’s ego. He is making a constant effort to dismantle the higher education system,” Mr Basu said.

The governor recently appointed interim vice-chancellors for eight universities in Bengal, including Presidency University, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology (MAKAUT), and the University of Burdwan, a move that was met with heavy criticism from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who accused the Mr Bose of interfering with the running of state-run universities.