Mamata's politics 'dirty': West Bengal Governor on molestation complaint against him

Bose had left for Kochi just a day after a woman employee of the Raj Bhavan had accused him of molestation and lodged a complaint with the police, an allegation which was dismissed by the Governor, calling it an election ploy by a political party.

Kolkata: West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Monday accused the state’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of playing ‘dirty’ politics - for the first time attacking the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo directly after a woman employee of the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata alleged that he had inappropriately behaved with her.

The Governor said that the Chief Minister had dragged him into politics that he was supposed to stay away from.

“Now, because of the humiliating remarks which she has made against me, against (the) truth, I am forced to tell you that Mamata Banerjee as a politician, her politics is dirty,” Bose told journalists after returning to Kolkata.

He had left for Kochi just a day after a woman, who was engaged as a contractual employee of the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata, had accused him of molestation and lodged a complaint with the police.

The Governor dismissed the allegation, calling it an election ploy by a political party.

The Trinamool Congress, which has been in power since 2011, moved fast to reap the political advantage of the complaint against the Governor, whom it had often accused of targeting the ruling party in the state at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“Yesterday, a young woman who worked at Raj Bhavan came out and spoke against the Governor's harassment...the tears of the woman broke my heart. I have seen her video testimony,” Banerjee said at an election rally in Purba Bardhaman on Friday.

“The woman cried and walked out saying she was too scared to work at Raj Bhavan anymore. She said that she was called at odd hours and was subjected to harassment. And these are the people who talk about the dignity of our mothers and sisters?” said the Chief Minister.

Bose had several run-ins with the government led by Banerjee, including over the appointment of the vice-chancellors of the state universities and over the recent allegation of atrocities on women in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district of the state by a local strongman of the Trinamool Congress.

“The Governor is supposed to stay away from politics. Now I am very sorry that the Chief Minister has dragged me into politics, especially at a time when the elections are going on,” the Governor told journalists at the airport in Kolkata.

“Still, I pray to God to save her (Banerjee). But that is a difficult responsibility even for God. I will never accept this 'Didi Giri'," he added.