Mamata Banerjee slams Bengal Guv over delay in oath ceremony of 2 Trinamool MLAs

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday launched a scathing attack against Governor C.V. Ananda Bose for the delay and confusion over the swearing-in ceremony of two newly-elected Trinamool Congress legislators -- Sayantika Banerjee from Baranagar and Reyat Houssen Sarkar from Bhagawangola.

“The two legislators have been elected by people's mandate. What right does the Governor have to stop them from taking oaths? It has been almost a month that uncertainties are shrouding the issue,” the Chief Minister said at state secretariat Nabanna.

She also supported the demand of Sayantika Banerjee and Reyat Houssen Sarkar that either the Governor come to the Assembly to administer the oath or nominate the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker to do the same.

The two newly-elected Trinamool legislators also staged sit-in demonstrations in support of their demand within the Assembly premises on Wednesday and Thursday.

“They are right. Either the Governor should nominate the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker to administer the oath, or he should go to the Assembly himself and do the needful. Why will the two MLAs go to the Raj Bhavan? As it is, after what happened in the Raj Bhavan, women are scared to go there. I have received complaints,” the Chief Minister said.

Although she didn't specify, her comments were a clear hint at the recent police complaint filed by a temporary female staff of the Raj Bhavan accusing the Governor of molestation.

Assembly Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay has already said that if the impasse continues, he will seek the attention of President Droupadi Murmu in the matter.