Bengal Governor V Ananda Bose: Must Also Appear To Be Pure
By A Special Correspondent
First publised on 2024-05-07 08:29:17
About the Author
A woman staffer at Raj Bhawan in Kolkata has filed a complaint against Bengal governor V Ananda Bose for 'touching her inappropriately'. That is a serious offence. But instead of offering to clear his name (disregarding the immunity granted by Article 361 of the Constitution) by allowing a fair and transparent probe, the governor has chosen to brazen it out by saying that the charges are politically motivated and the TMC-run state government is behind them. Bose has a history of clashing with the state government and specifically with chief minister Mamata Banerjee over various issues. The TMC has repeatedly called him an 'agent of the BJP'.
Although anything is possible in the cesspool of politics, the governor needs to be reminded that those holding high offices must not only be pure must also appear to be so. His name has been sullied by the allegations made by the woman. Since there was no one else present when the alleged offence is said to have been committed, it is the woman's word against the governor's about what transpired between them in the closed room. Hence, Bose must allow the law to take its own course and the probe to proceed. He must cooperate with the investigation.
It is not democratic that he issues a gag order on Raj Bhawan staffers and prevents the police and state ministers from visiting governor's house. By doing this, he is giving a handle to the state government and the TMC to allege that he has a lot to hide. If he is wary of the probe by Kolkata Police (which works under the state government) he can approach the Calcutta HC to ask for a court-monitored probe. But putting hurdles in the investigation process and trading ugly charges with the state government will only strengthen the belief that he has something to hide and lower the prestige of the high office he holds.
