Will cooperate with Bengal Government on what it does, not whatever it does: Governor Anand Bose

Gov. Bose says, respect Chief Minister, but each must stay within constitutional provisions; cooperation with State Govt on what it does, not whatever it does; universities belong to students, must realize duty to them.

West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose has said that he would always cooperate with the State Government but that support may not extend to “whatever it does”.

In an exclusive interview with PTI on August 28, Mr. Bose made it clear that in a democracy, while the front face of a State is the Chief Minister and not the nominated Governor, each has to stay within the constitutional provisions of their respective ‘Lakshman Rekha’ (a boundary that should not be crossed).

“The Chief Minister is the esteemed constitutional colleague of the Governor. In a democracy, the front face of a government is the elected Chief Minister, and not the nominated Governor,” he said.

Mr. Bose, in his free-wheeling interview said, “As the Governor, I will cooperate with the [State] government on what it does, not whatever it does.” “Each should play their role within their turf. Everyone has a ‘Lakshman Rekha’. Don’t cross the ‘Lakshman Rekha’. And most importantly, don’t try to draw the ‘Lakshman Rekha’ for the other. That is the spirit of cooperative federalism,” the Governor said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on August 28 alleged that Governor Bose was violating constitutional norms, and that she does not support his “unconstitutional activities”.

“Don’t take ‘panga’ [challenge] with an elected government. I respect the chair, but cannot respect him as an individual since he disregards the Constitution. He is appointing his friends as Vice-Chancellors of universities,” the Chief Minister had said, referring to Mr. Bose.

Governor Bose pointed out that the university statutes do not State that Vice-Chancellors have to be necessarily academics.