The Bengal Raj Bhavan on Friday announced the opening of a special cell for real-time monitoring of the Howrah situation and vowed that all culprits would be brought before the law.
“Those who resort to violence under the illusion that they can hoodwink people will soon realise they are in a fool’s paradise,” read a statement issued by the Raj Bhavan, not long after Union home minister Amit Shah spoke to its occupant C.V. Ananda Bose.
The governor, added the statement, had a confidential discussion with chief minister Mamata Banerjee on the Howrah situation.
The statement labelled as “highly provocative” the act of arson on public property, underscoring that it was done on “sacred” Ram Navami, and asserted it would be viewed seriously.
“Hanuman set fire to Lanka to uphold Dharma. Those who resort to fire for Adharma will be made to swallow the fire themselves or those who are mandated to douse the fire, will do it decisively,” read the statement.
“Governor ordered real-time monitoring of the situation by Raj Bhavan and constituted a special cell for the same,” it added.
Several sources in the state government said they couldn't recall a recent instance of the opening of such a special cell to monitor the developments of an unfolding situation even when the state had witnessed major incidents at places like Nandigram, Singur, Netai and Bogtui.
“It is beyond the right of the governor to set up a special cell to monitor the situation. There is the state government and its departments from which he can take the stock of the situation at any point in time. There was no need to open a special cell dedicated to taking stock of the situation in Howrah,” said Trinamul Congress state general-secretary Kunal Ghosh.
Ghosh said it showed why Bose had removed principal-secretary Nandini Chakraborty from his office and brought in officials from Delhi to run it.
Sources in the state administration said governor Bose changed his stance towards the Mamata Banerjee government last month, discernible from the decision to have Chakraborty removed, around his trip to Delhi.
They said the BJP’s Bengal leaders did not approve of Bose — who had been maintaining a remarkably cordial relationship with Nabanna — till he apparently repositioned himself. The state BJP had complained to bosses in Delhi against Bose’s “bonhomie” with Mamata.
“The statement clarified that the governor was monitoring the situation separately and wants to take note of every development on the ground regarding the violence on Ram Navami, which has already turned into a political battle between Trinamul and the BJP,” said a senior bureaucrat.
He drew attention to a sentence in the statement that read: “Raj Bhavan will keep its eyes and ears open to ensure protection to the life, property and dignity of the common man.”
In the statement, Raj Bhavan said state home-secretary B.P. Gopalika called on Bose and the governor sought a compliance report from him.
“The state government was directed to ensure that fool-proof arrangements are made to maintain law and order effectively and action taken against miscreants firmly. The chief minister assured that strict and decisive action will be taken to prevent recurrence of such criminal intimidation,” it added.
“Bengal stands united against the perpetrators of this heinous crime against humanity. Troublemakers and abettors will be made to realise that they cannot play Dr. Jekyl (sic) and Mr. Hyde in Bengal anymore. Police should be objective, strong and fair, and should not let down their masters and the peace-loving people.”
