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Journalism of Courage
West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose Friday said improved ties between his office and the elected government in West Bengal is just part of an evolution process in cooperative federalism, and emphasized that “a Raj Bhavan should become a no-conflict zone”.
Bose, who took charge in November last year at a time when a long-drawn conflict was playing out between the Raj Bhavan and the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government, said that as Governor he would follow the path of conciliation and cooperation.
“In my opinion, in place of confrontation there should be conciliation. Antipathy should be replaced by empathy and passion should be tempered with compassion. Always a middle path seems to be better for society. A Raj Bhavan should become a no-conflict zone,” Bose said at The Idea Exchange programme of The Indian Express.
Ties between the Raj Bhavan and the Trinamool Congress government were strained during the tenure of Bose’s immediate predecessor Jagdeep Dhankar, the current Vice-President of India, because of the latter’s prolonged and often public criticism of the state government’s functioning.
The ties appeared to improve after Bose took charge on November 23 last year, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee acknowledging in public the cordial relations as she called the Governor a “perfect gentleman”.
Bose’s attempts to learn Bengali was well appreciated as well in the state. On the occasion of Republic Day, the Governor even organised a “Haathe Khori (initiation with a chalk)” ceremony – that marks the formal beginning of a child’s education – at Raj Bhavan, which was attended by the Chief Minister.
The Governor said he was happy that his concept of walking the middle path has been accepted in the state. “I am happy this concept has been accepted by all the stakeholders in West Bengal, including the political strata, the media, the common man and the judiciary.”
Asked how he managed to turn the conflict with the state government into cordial ties, Bose said, “I was only a mute witness to the evolution that has been taking place in the concept of cooperative federalism in the country. For every problem, there is a solution, and there should be an honest attempt to find a solution to all problems.”
“There are two kinds of people, according to me – one who find solutions to problems and others who find problems in every solution. I would certainly like to follow the path of conciliation and cooperation as far as my limited role as Governor of West Bengal,” he said.
Asked about the Chief Minister, he said: “Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is my respected constitutional colleague. All the stakeholders in the state are cooperating with the process of normalisation and process of reconciliation in the state.”
