Bengal Governor's public criticism of Mamata "shameless and irresponsible"; he should have been immediately removed: former Governor of Jammu & Kashmir and Bihar, Satya Pal Malik, to Karan Thapar for The Wire.

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In forceful and outspoken criticism of Bengal Governor C. V. Ananda Bose’s public criticism of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, released in a video last week, the former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and Bihar has said it was “shameless and irresponsible”. Satya Pal Malik said Governor Ananda Bose has spoken in this fashion to please the Modi government in Delhi and also in imitation of Vice President Dhankhar, who, as Governor of Bengal, had been publicly critical of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and ended up getting promoted to Vice President. Mr. Malik said Governor Ananda Bose is hoping for similar “tarakki”.



In a 20-minute interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Satya Pal Malik, who also served as Governor of Goa and Meghalaya, said Governor Ananda Bose should have been immediately removed i.e. within 24 hours. He said Governor Ananda Bose has diminished the authority and standing of the Office of Governor.



Speaking about what Governor Ananda Bose said about Calcutta’s former Commissioner of Police, who he accused of “actively conniving in erasing the evidence” of the murder and rape at RG Kar hospital, adding “criminal action needs to be initiated against the Commissioner of Police”, Mr. Malik said that the former Commissioner should take legal action for libel against the Bengal Governor.



When asked if he was himself worried that the Bengal Governor could take legal action against him for the comments he has made, Mr. Malik said he would welcome such action because it would give him a chance to say the same things in open Court.



I am only giving you the main points made by Satya Pal Malik in this 20-minute interview. There is an awful lot more which I am not mentioning. This is not a precis or paraphrase of the full interview just a brief account of the highlights. I will leave you to see the full interview to hear everything else that Governor Malik has said. The interview is 30% in English and almost 70% in Hindi/Hindustani.



However, to help you, I will share the list of the main questions asked of Mr. Malik. Here they are:



1) Late last week the Governor of Bengal, C. V. Ananda Bose, released a video where he is sharply critical of the Chief Minister, both politically and personally, whilst accusing the Commissioner of Police of criminal behaviour. Before I come to details let me ask a general question: Is it fitting and proper for a Governor to speak about his Chief Minister in public in this way? And to attack top state officials in this way?



2) Alright let’s come to details. First, Governor Ananda Bose said “The government has failed in its duty”. He said: “The Home Minister has failed in her responsibility to maintain law and order. The Health Minister miserably failed in containing the liquidation of the health system in the state. The Health Minister happens to be the Home Minister. The Home Minister happens to be the Chief Minister.” And then he said “many things are rotten in the state of Bengal”. Are these proper things for the Governor to say in public about a democratically and very popularly elected Chief Minister?



3) Speaking in personal terms, Governor Ananda Bose called Mamata Banerjee “the Lady Macbeth of Bengal”. And he added “all the waters of the Hooghly cannot cleanse her tainted hands”. How do you view this personal attack by the Governor on the Chief Minister?


4) Speaking about what he considers the situation in the state of West Bengal, the Governor said: “There is violence in the state, violence at home, violence on campus, violence in hospitals, violence in villages, violence in the city. Violence, violence everywhere.” This sounds like a Governor running down the state he is Governor of. Is this acceptable?



5) Finally, this is what the Governor said about his future relationship with the Chief Minister. He said: “I will socially boycott the Chief Minister. I will not be sharing any public platform with the Chief Minister. Nor will I participate in any public programme which involves the Chief Minister.” The truth is his job requires him to do this. So when he refuses to do it is he not guilty of dereliction of duty in addition to being rude about the Chief Minister?

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