Bengal guv launches ‘search op’ for arms in Raj Bhavan after TMC MP’s attack

The West Bengal Raj Bhavan said a joint combing operation was carried out on the entire premises on the governor’s orders

KOLKATA: After a Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee accused Bengal’s Raj Bhavan of sheltering criminals and arming them, governor CV Ananda Bose on Monday led a search operation of a joint team of state and central police forces on the premises, his office said.

Kolkata: West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose at a “joint operation” to search for arms in Raj Bhavan after TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee's accused Raj Bhavan of backing and arming “BJP criminals” who attack TMCworkers (PTI)

“On instructions of the governor, a joint combing operation was carried out for the entire Raj Bhavan building and its precincts. The joint combing operation was led by governor himself,” said a senior official of the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata.

This move comes after TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee alleged that Raj Bhavan was supplying arms and explosives to criminals to attack TMC workers. “Ask the governor to stop sheltering BJP criminals inside the Raj Bhavan. He keeps them there, gives them guns and bombs and tells them to attack TMC workers. He is an incompetent governor. He is BJP’s servant. Nothing good can happen to West Bengal as long as he is in office,” Banerjee told reporters on Sunday.

In its response, Raj Bhavan said the MP should apologise if the allegation turned out to be false. “Since the Kolkata Police guards Raj Bhavan, an immediate inquiry may be held into how they allegedly permitted arms and ammunition to be brought into Raj Bhavan, which poses a threat to the governor, who is under Z+ category security and the Raj Bhavan staff,” an official statement by Raj Bhavan said on Sunday.

The statement also said that the governor’s security officers advised him to move to a safe location until the inquiry into the alleged illegal arms and ammunition at Raj Bhavan is completed, but he refused.

On Monday, Raj Bhavan said Bose, who was in north Bengal, cut short his tour and returned to Kolkata.

The Raj Bhavan was evacuated. The dog squad and bomb squad of the CRPF and Kolkata Police took part in the search operation. The disaster management and civil defence departments also took part and conducted a firefighting drill.

“It was a joint operation between the state and central forces. Nothing has been unearthed. I still want to have a total combing operation in the Raj Bhavan to establish the truth. I will take whatever action is required. Strong, effective and proactive action will be taken. He had the option to apologise to the people of Bengal. I have given him 24 hours. If he doesn’t apologise to the people of Bengal, strong legal actions will be taken,” Bose later told reporters.

The TMC MP, however, hit back, saying that he was even ready to go to jail for his statements.

“No one calls the police and the bomb squad to search the house while hiding arms and explosives. This is a childish action. It would have been better had he followed the Constitution,” Banerjee told reporters after the search operation on Monday.

“He (Bose) has all the while favoured the BJP…. I am ready to go to jail 50 times for speaking against the governor,” said Banerjee.