Kolkata, Jul 2 (PTI) West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Tuesday slammed the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in the state and held it responsible for the series of mob attacks that claimed several lives.
He also alleged that the state is not safe for women.
Bose, who reached North Bengal from New Delhi on Tuesday morning, cancelled his trip to Chopra where a couple was flogged publicly, and instead met a few alleged victims of other atrocities.
“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,” Bose said after meeting the victims in Siliguri.
“After meeting the victims, I feel that Bengal is no longer safe for women,” he added.
The governor who flew to New Delhi from Siliguri is likely to submit a report on his findings to the central government.
There have been incidents of violence in Bengal since last year’s panchayat elections but this cannot continue, Bose said.
“The state government should take action against these. Instead, I can see that the government is propitiating (people) with money and taking initiatives to spread violence. An ugly situation has developed in Bengal. It must end now and here,” he stated.
Asked why he skipped going to Chopra to meet the assaulted couple, Bose said, “I was requested by Chopra’s victim to meet her privately at Raj Bhavan. I granted her request. The victim can meet me anywhere. Either she comes to Raj Bhavan or I visit her.”
Questioning the role of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is also the police minister of the state, Bose said that he was waiting for her to send a report on the Chopra flogging incident which he had sought on Monday.
“It is my Constitutional responsibility and it is also the responsibility of the CM that if I call for a report on any matter, it should be given on time. But it has not been done. The CM is trying to create a constitutional hurdle. I am serious about this matter. Whatever action is needed will be taken,” he said.
The governor said the chief minister is his Constitutional colleague but when his self-respect is in question, he filed a defamation case against her.
Bose filed a defamation case against Banerjee on June 28, a day after she claimed that women complained to her saying that they were afraid to visit the Raj Bhavan because of the activities there.
Officials said the couple who was publicly caned in Chopra by the now-arrested local Trinamool Congress strongman Tajemul Islam did not turn up for the meeting in which Bose talked to alleged victims of atrocities.
After meeting Bose, one of the “victims” who was from Cooch Behar district said, “I have narrated the whole incident to the governor. He has assured me of getting me justice because I don’t have any faith in Bengal Police.”
Earlier in the day, Bose had arrived in Bagdogra from New Delhi.