West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Tuesday alleged that he has reliable information about “snooping” at his official residence, the Raj Bhavan, reported PTI.
“It is a fact,” Bose told the news agency. “I had reliable information about snooping in Raj Bhavan. That issue has been flagged to the concerned authorities. I will wait and watch.”
However, he did not elaborate on who could be behind the alleged snooping.
In September, the Central Reserve Police Force personnel had replaced the Kolkata Police in the office and residential sections of the Raj Bhavan following a complaint that the state police were allegedly conducting surveillance on Bose’s activities, The Times of India reported.
Tuesday’s allegations also come close to Bose completing one year as West Bengal’s governor. On this occasion, Bose said that he shares a “very cordial” relationship with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, reported PTI.
“I see the governor-CM [chief minister] relationship in two levels,” he told PTI. “As individuals, our relation is very cordial which is based on mutual respect and understanding. As far as the relationship between the governor and the CM is concerned, the perception may be different because the elected chief minister and the nominated governor need not necessarily think alike on every issue.”
Bose and the Trinamool Congress government have been at odds on several matters.
Earlier this year, Bose and the state government had disagreed over appointment of vice chancellors in universities. In August, the Bengal government had moved the Supreme Court challenging the governor’s authority to appoint officiating vice chancellors unilaterally. The governor of the state is the chancellor of state-aided universities.
In October, the top court restrained Bose from appointing vice chancellors to universities.
The Trinamool Congress government has also accused Bose of delaying assent to bills passed by the state’s Legislature. Bills passed by legislatures become law only after the governor signs off on them. Article 200 of the Constitution gives governors the power to either grant their approval to a bill, reject it or, in some cases, reserve it for the president’s consideration. Similar allegations against governors have been made in other states that are not ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Earlier this month, West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee urged Bose to approve 22 bills following their passage in the Legislature. However, the Raj Bhavan denied that any bill was pending with it, except those that are awaiting the president approval or are sub judice.
Mamata Banerjee had previously accused Bose of acting like an “agent of the BJP” by not giving his assent to the bills.
Also read: How effective is Modi’s strategy of using hostile governors in opposition states?
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