Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 2 : Amid allegations of molestation against West Bengal Governor Ananda Bose, Trinamool Congress leader Shashi Panja said that the Governor has "sabotaged the reputation of his post and his chair".
"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. The victim is a staff member at the Raj Bhawan," Panja said speaking to reporters on Thursday.
Commenting on the shameful act by the person holding the top constitutional office in the state, the Trinamool leader said, "Nothing can be more shameful than a Governor getting involved in such heinous crimes and that too in the Raj Bhawan..."
Asking the Prime Minister who is coming to the state for a two-day visit for his reaction to the alleged incident, Panja said, "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..."
Speaking about the victim, the TMC Minister said that she was reluctant to lodge a complaint owing to the powerful position of the Governor.
"She was reluctant to file a complaint, she was scared and underconfident. The Governor is a powerful person after all...," Panja said.
West Bengal Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said that prior to the Prime Minister's visit to the state, a woman has filed a complaint against the Governor accusing the latter of molestation.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is arriving in Bengal. His stay has been arranged at the Raj Bhavan. Before this, a woman has gone to the police station to file a complaint against the Governor accusing him of molestation," Bhattacharya said.
"What kind of incident is this, when the Governor says that he will create a 'peace room' and listen to everyone's problems, but here the same Governor is insulting women," she added.
However, Governor Bose refused such allegations describing them as "engineered narratives" and said that he will not be cowed down in his fight against corruption and violence in the state.
"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 can not stop my fight against corruption and violence in Bengal," the Governor said in his response to the Raj Bhavan staff who expressed their solidarity with Bose.
The Governor has also banned West Bengal Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya from entry into the Raj Bhavan premises of Kolkata, Darjeeling and Barrackpore.
"For defamation and anti-constitutional media statements against Hon'ble Governor Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose, a junior gubernatorial appointee Smt. Chandrima Bhattacharya Minister of State (Independent Charge) Department of Finance, has been banned entry into the Raj Bhavan premises of Kolkata, Darjeeling and Barrackpore," the Governor said in a statement.
The Governor has also instructed his office that he will not participate in any function attended by Minister Bhattacharya.
Moreover, the Attorney General for India has been contacted for advice on further legal steps against the Minister, the Governor said.
"Hon'ble Governor also banned entry of police into Raj Bhavan premises in the guise of conducting unauthorised, illegitimate, sham and motivated "investigation' to placate political bosses during elections," the statement read.