West Bengal Governor Accused of Sexual Harassment Amid Political Firestorm

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has been accused of sexual harassment by a temporary employee at the Raj Bhavan, sparking a political firestorm in the state. The employee filed a complaint against the Governor on Thursday, alleging that he outraged her modesty on multiple occasions.

Why this matters: The allegations against the Governor have significant implications for the political landscape in West Bengal, as they have sparked a heated debate between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP. The incident also raises questions about the accountability of high-ranking officials and the effectiveness of the justice system in handling such cases.

According to the complaint, the alleged incidents occurred on March 24 and May 2, when the Governor summoned the woman to his chamber on the pretext of offering her a permanent job. The Kolkata Police have set up an inquiry team to probe the allegations, but no criminal case has been registered against the Governor as of Friday evening due to hisconstitutional immunityunder Article 361 (2).

Governor Bose has vehemently denied the allegations, calling them "engineered narratives" and stating that he expects more such charges to be levelled against him. In an audio message, he declared, "Bring out all the weapons from your armoury. Use it against me. I am prepared."

The allegations have ignited a political war of words between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP. Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of keeping quiet over the allegations despite being in the state when they were made. She questioned how the Governor could talk about the dignity of women when he has been accused of doing the same thing at his official residence.

Banerjee also brought up the Sandeshkhali issue, where the BJP had criticized her party over alleged sexual harassment of women by a Trinamool leader and his aides. She 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?"

The BJP has come out in support of the Governor, with senior leader Suvendu Adhikari calling the allegations a "heinous conspiracy by Mamata Banerjee." The BJP has pointed out that the mother of the accuser contested as a Trinamool Congress candidate in a local election in 2002, suggesting links between the complainant and the ruling party.

The alleged incidents occurred at the Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the Governor, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state on Thursday night. Governor Bose has blocked the entry of the police and state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya into the Raj Bhavan premises in Kolkata, Darjeeling, and Barrackpore as the inquiry unfolds. The Kolkata Police are consulting their law department and constitutional experts on how to proceed with the investigation given the Governor's immunity.

Key Takeaways

• West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose accused of sexual harassment by a temporary employee.
• Alleged incidents occurred on March 24 and May 2 at the Raj Bhavan.
• Governor denies allegations, calling them "engineered narratives."
• Political war of words between Trinamool Congress and BJP over the allegations.
• Governor's constitutional immunity prevents criminal case from being registered.