Molestation row: ‘Bengal guv must explain why he should not resign,’ says Mamata Banerjee

Addressing a poll rally in West Bengal’s Saptagram, Banerjee said that Bose must explain why he should not step down. The CM also asserted she would not step inside the Raj Bhavan till Bose remains the governor.

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“The governor says ‘didigiri’ (high-handedness) will not be tolerated…But, I say Mr Governor, your ‘dadagiri’ will not work anymore,” the TMC supremo was quoted as saying by PTI. “Bose must explain why he should not resign after such allegations were levelled against him,” she said.

She also referred to the airing of the CCTV footage of May 2, the day the temporary employee in his office accused the governor of sexual assault, at the Raj Bhavan.

Bose recently organised the screening in a bid to clear the air over allegations of molestation brought against him. It, however, plunged Bose into a fresh controversy, as the complainant accused him of revealing her identity.

“The governor had released an edited video. I saw the entire footage and its contents are shocking. I have got another video… Your conduct is shameful,” the chief minister said, according to PTI.

“I am not going to the Raj Bhavan till he is the governor… I prefer to meet him on the streets,” she said.

What are the allegations against CV Bose?
 

On May 2, Bose was accused by a temporary employee of Raj Bhavan of molestation on two occasions. The next day Kolkata Police set up an inquiry team to probe the allegations. Police said they sought CCTV footage from Raj Bhavan and also planned to speak to some Raj Bhavan staff.

Also Read | Mamata’s politics dirty, won’t tolerate ‘Didigiri’, says Bengal governor Bose

On May 5, Bose asked the staff at Raj Bhavan to ignore the police inquiry citing Article 361 of the Constitution which says that no criminal proceedings can be initiated against the President and the governor of a state as long as they are in office.

“In the circumstances, all staff/ employees including part-time, temporary, DRW (Daily Rated Workers) or those engaged in Raj Bhavan in any manner are hereby directed to ignore any communication from the police in this respect and refrain from giving any statement online, offline, in person, over phone or in any other manner,” Bose told the Raj Bhavan staff in a letter which was uploaded on social media.

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