Amid an impasse over the oath-taking of two newly elected Trinamool Congress MLAs, the office of West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Friday criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her remarks suggesting women allegedly felt unsafe going to Raj Bhavan, stating it is expected of public representatives not to create “erroneous and slanderous impressions”.
Baranagar MLA Sayantika Bandyopadhyay and Bhagabangola legislator Rayat Hossain Sarkar have refused to take oath at Raj Bhavan as requested by Bose, instead staging a dharna in the assembly complex since Thursday, insisting that the swearing in take place in the Vidhan Sabha.
“It is expected of public representatives to uphold Constitution and refrain from creating erroneous and slanderous impressions that may cast aspersions on the Governor,” the Raj Bhavan said on X.
Stating that Bose has no right to prevent the oath-taking process, Banerjee had alleged on Thursday that she received complaints from women who felt unsafe going to Raj Bhavan after reports of certain activities there.
Referring to allegations of molestation of a woman in the Governor House in May, actor-turned-politician Sayantika Bandopadhyay on Thursday said, “My family members won’t allow me to go to Raj Bhavan alone as they are also aware of reports of a woman being molested there. Who will take the responsibility of my safety and security?”
A political storm had erupted in May over a complaint by a Raj Bhavan woman employee who had accused the Governor of “molesting” her, even as Bose had dubbed the allegations as “baseless and absurd drama”.
The Governor’s office clarified that the newly elected MLAs had initially requested a venue shift to the Assembly due to personal preferences but had not raised any specific safety concerns about Raj Bhavan otherwise.
“The newly elected MLAs had requested Hon'ble Governor to consider shifting the venue to the Assembly because of their personal preferences and never expressed any apprehensions about coming to Raj Bhavan otherwise,” the post added.
When the MLAs declined the governor’s invitation to take the oath at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday, Bose left for Delhi the same evening.
Stating that Bandyopadhyay and Sarkar were unable to take the oath despite having got elected a month back, the Chief Minister accused the Governor of obstructing them from doing so.
The Raj Bhavan post, however, said all issues are addressed by the Governor with promptitude and constitutional propriety as also this one.
“Responses unjustifiably critical of the Governor was least expected from an experienced public representative,” it said.
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