Mamata Banerjee questions PM’s 'silence' on molestation complaint against Bengal Governor

Kolkata: A day after a temporary female staff at the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata filed a complaint with the police accusing Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose of 'outraging her modesty', Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'silence' in the matter.

Addressing an election rally at Raina in East Midnapore district on Friday, the Chief Minister said without naming the Prime Minister, "You were there on Thursday night, but you did not utter a single word on this issue. You said a lot of things about Sandeshkhali. But I did not allow such things to happen there. There were some land-related problems, which my officials have solved. But what have you done?”

CM Banerjee also claimed that she received similar complaints like the one that surfaced on Thursday before.

“I received such complaints before as well. But I did not say anything. I have seen the tears of the woman who filed the (latest) complaint. A video in this regard has come to me, which I have seen minutely,” the Chief Minister said

In a startling development on Thursday afternoon, a temporary female staff at the Raj Bhavan filed a written complaint with the police accusing Governor Bose of outraging her modesty.

Police sources said the woman, reportedly attached to the Peace Room in the Raj Bhavan, approached the officer-in-charge of the police outpost located inside the Governor's House and accused Ananda Bose of molesting her on the pretext of providing her a permanent job.

Later, she submitted a written complaint at the Hare Street police station, under which the Raj Bhavan falls.

The Governor, on his part, described the complaint as an engineered narrative to malign him to gain electoral benefits.

“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 cannot stop my fight against corruption and violence in Bengal,” read a brief statement issued by the Governor's office on Thursday night.

Incidentally, the Prime Minister was in West Bengal on Friday where he addressed three election rallies.