West Bengal Governor C.V .Ananda Bose with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
| Photo Credit: Debasish Bhaduri
Welcoming the Calcutta High Court’s interim order restraining West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and three others from making defamatory or incorrect statements against him, West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose on Tuesday said he would pray to God to throw light on Ms. Banerjee’s path.
“Truth will triumph. I wish and pray to God to throw light on the path of Mamata Banerjee. I dedicate myself to the service of the people of Bengal,” a video statement of the Governor, issued by Raj Bhavan, said.
The remarks by the Governor come after Justice Krishna Rao of the High Court restrained the Chief Minister from making any defamatory or incorrect statement against the plaintiff by way of publication and on social platforms till August 14.
The Governor had approached the court after the Chief Minister had said that women are scared to visit Raj Bhavan. The remarks were made after a contractual woman employee of Raj Bhavan had made an allegation of sexual harassment against the Governor on May 2.
In a separate development, the Governor called upon Ms. Banerjee to furnish an immediate report on the objectives of the committee her government has formed to review the amended CRPC, IPC and Evidence Act.
Earlier in the day, the West Bengal government announced setting up of the seven-member committee headed by a retired judge of the Calcutta High Court to review the three criminal laws.
“The State government is pleased hereby to constitute a committee for reviewing the said criminal laws Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA),” said a notification issued by the West Bengal Home Department.
“The Governor wants a specific report on whether the West Bengal Government has responded to the proposal on time when asked for by the Government of India,” a statement from Raj Bhavan said.
“West Bengal cannot be a state within a State or turn into a banana republic,” the statement said, quoting the Governor.
The query from the Governor comes at a time when the West Bengal government is planning to pass a resolution in the State Assembly against the three criminal laws.