'I work for India's Janata, not 'Bharatiya Janata' party': West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Kolkata: Though there has been allegation that the present West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose like his predecessor and now vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar is holding back important bills and in a way working in favour of BJP but speaking to ETV Bharat, the Keralan erudite said that he works for the ‘People (Janata) of India’ and not Bharatiya Janata Party.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, just days ahead of completing one year in office, the author-turned-administrator said, “You need to understand that I work for the people and not for a party. When your work in an administrative premise, there can be differences but that doesn’t mean that the relation between two constitutional bodies have deteriorated. An elected government is not expected to follow the ideology of the governor. It is the nature of democracy that we agree to disagree and we need to do it with all humility”.
Though Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly criticised the governor on several issues including the pendency of bill and had even to threatened to sit for Dharna (Demonstration) inside Raj Bhawan but Bose, when speaking about his relationship with the chief minister said, “I perceive the dynamic between the governor and the chief minister on two distinct levels. On a personal level, our relationship is characterised by cordiality, founded upon mutual respect and understanding. However, when examining the broader relationship between the governor and the chief minister, it's essential to recognise that the elected chief minister and the appointed governor may not always share identical perspectives on every issue”.
However, the governor carefully avoiding the question on whether Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be present at Raj Bhawan on the first-anniversary program, said, “There is no need for any special event or celebration. However, the presence of new faces, youth, and young people will be noticed.”
Though Bose was appreciative of the chief minister, he made it clear that he was not very happy with the law and order situation of the state. Speaking to ETV Bharat Bose said, “The realm of legal discipline is intricate. Yet, my on-site inspection revealed that certain events have disrupted the established mechanisms. In some instances, recommendations have been made to the state government to restore normalcy. Actions have been initiated, but in certain domains, the status quo persists. The measures taken by the state government or the police administration in the context of violent incidents are not deemed satisfactory.”
Speaking on his one year of experience in West Bengal, the governor said, “I am very pleased with Bengali. The beautiful people of Bengal, with their mutual respect, cooperation, and love, have impressed me. I want to maintain this communication with the people of Bengal. I have devoted myself to Bengal.”
“I feel that my heart is completely Bengali. Even my name is Bengali. My father was a freedom fighter. His ideals and the courage of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in his fight for independence have further inspired me,” he added.
Drawing a comparison between his home state Kerala and West Bengal, the governor said, “The people of both states share a spirit of free thinking. Even in their work and culinary preferences, there are many similarities. I believe Bengal and Kerala are like two children of the same mother in history. I have read in history that at one time, some people from Bengal went to Kerala. It was there that the people of both states created their own culture.”
“Let the new generation of West Bengal represent the world. Starting from education and fostering innovation, the presidential palace will work tirelessly to provide all kinds of assistance for sustainable development. Raj Bhawan will actively support and oversee these efforts in the capacity of their responsibilities,” the governor said.
