Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has denied allegations of sexual harassment by an employee of the Raj Bhavan, calling it an “engineered narrative”. “If anybody wants some election benefits by maligning me, God bless them. But they cannot stop my fight against corruption and violence in Bengal,” he said.
The Raj Bhavan, in a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter, said: “To the Raj Bhavan staff who expressed solidarity with Hon’ble Governor Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose against whom some derogatory narratives were circulated by two disgruntled employees as agents of political parties, Hon’ble Governor said”.
“Truth shall triumph. I refuse to be cowed down by engineered narratives. If anybody wants some election benefits by maligning me, God Bless them. But they cannot stop my fight against corruption and violence in Bengal.”
— Raj Bhavan Kolkata (@BengalGovernor) May 2, 2024
The allegations surfaced ahead of a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi is expected to reach Kolkata tonight and will be staying 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.
She was taken to the local police station at Hare Street, where she filed a complaint, in which she accused the Governor of molesting her.
The allegations have come as a boon to the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress, which had been smarting over the sex harassment allegations against its now suspended leader Sheikh Shahjahan at Sandeshkhali. The Governor was among the first to speak to the women from Sandeshkhali and made harsh remarks about the state government.
Senior Trinamool leader Shashi Panja said, “We are utterly shocked. The same Governor who reached Sandeshkhali talking about women’s rights has now been involved in a rather shameful incident. He has sabotaged the reputation of his post and his chair”.
“Nothing can be more shameful than a Governor getting involved in such heinous crimes and that too in the Raj Bhawan… Today the PM is coming to the state and he will stay at the Raj Bhawan. We want to know his reaction to the matter,” she added.
Journalist-turned-politician Sagarika Ghosh called the matter “shocking and horrifying”.
BIG. Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose accused of molesting a woman. How utterly APPALLING and HORRIFYING. Ahead of @narendramodi visit to Kolkata who is supposed to stay overnight at Raj Bhavan, a woman has alleged that she was molested while she went to meet the Governor at Raj…
— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) May 2, 2024
The issue comes amid a massive row about sexual assault allegations against a Karnataka MP, over which the BJP is facing criticism from the Opposition.
Prajwal Revanna, a leader of BJP ally Janata Dal Secular and the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, has been accused of raping multiple women.
The state leaders of the BJP have distanced themselves from the matter and the Hasan MP, said to be in Germany at the moment, has been suspended by his party.