Kolkata

West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose faced criticism from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday. The criticism was due to delays and confusion in the swearing-in of two newly elected Trinamool Congress legislators, Sayantika Banerjee from Baranagar and Reyat Houssen Sarkar from Bhagawangola.

The mandate of the people had elected these two legislators. The Chief Minister questioned why the Governor was preventing them from taking their oaths. For about a month, uncertainty had surrounded this matter.

Sayantika Banerjee and Reyat Houssen Sarkar demanded that the oath should be administered in the Assembly by the Governor, the Speaker, or the Deputy Speaker. On Wednesday and Thursday, the two lawmakers protested inside the Assembly to support their demand.

The CM expressed her support for their demands. She stated that the Governor should either administer the oath himself or nominate the Speaker or Deputy Speaker to do so. She questioned the necessity for the MLAs to visit Raj Bhavan, mentioning that women were afraid to visit Raj Bhavan due to recent incidents. The CM referenced a recent police allegation accusing the Governor of molestation by a temporary Raj Bhavan employee.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Biman Bandopadhyay, announced that the issue would be brought to the attention of President Droupadi Murmu.