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regular-article-logo Friday, 26 April 2024

Governor visits Rishra, BJP divided on his role

C.V. Ananda Bose asks senior police officers about actions taken to quell violence

Kinsuk Basu, Snehamoy Chakraborty Calcutta, Rishra (WB) Published 05.04.23, 04:34 AM
Governor CV Ananda Bose at Rishra on Tuesday.

Governor CV Ananda Bose at Rishra on Tuesday. Pradip Sanyal

Governor C.V. Ananda Bose on Tuesday visited Rishra, the Hooghly pocket hit by violence on Sunday and Monday, to assure people that there would be “solid action” on the part of law enforcing agencies to root out “mobocracy from our democratic land”.

Bose rushed to Calcutta by cutting short his Darjeeling visit and headed straight from the airport to Rishra on Tuesday.

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“The visit is a fact-finding, data gathering and verification... I can assure you that first I will see, analyse, assess and decide and then, there will be action, solid action from the part of all law enforcing agencies,” Bose told reporters in Rishra on Tuesday afternoon before he met a few localpeople to know the ground reality.

“The government of India, the state government, political parties, the media and common men and silent majority will all join hands and see the mobocracy rooted out from this democratic land,” the governor said, adding that Narendra Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat also included Atmanirbhar Bengal.

Bose spent over an hour in the area adjacent to railway gate no 4 in Rishra where police vehicles were vandalised and torched, and stones were hurled at running trains on Monday night.

Sukanta Majumdar and other BJP leaders come out of Raj Bhavan after meeting the governor on Tuesday.

Sukanta Majumdar and other BJP leaders come out of Raj Bhavan after meeting the governor on Tuesday. PTI picture

Bose asked senior police officers about the actions taken to quell the violence. He also spoke to a few residents to find out whether the report given to him matched the situation on the ground.

The governor asked resident Saurav Singh about the incidents that had happened on Sunday and the day after.

“We told him that there was stone pelting and police were late to turn up on Monday. We also told him how many people were injured,” Saurav said. “He told us to inform the police and the administration about the problems we were facing. He also said we could tweet him if required.”

This is the first time that Bose has visited a conflict zone since he took oath as the governor in November last year.

BJP state chief Sukanta Majumdar and leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari remained divided over the actions taken by the governor.

“We have informed the governor that the law and order in the state collapsed. He visited the spot today (Tuesday) and spoke to the people in the affected area. The governor has realised that the situation in Bengal is bad and he is genuinely concerned,” said Majumdar, who called on Bose at Raj Bhavan.

However, Adhikari said: "I haven't seen any satisfactory role played by the governor so far. I want the constitutional head of the state to use his constitutional powers, instead of seeking reports from the state government."

Told by ABP Ananda that Adhikari was critical of his actions, the governor thanked the BJP leader for his criticism.

The Trinamul Congress, however, welcomed Bose's visit to Rishra.

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