Kolkata: Within a day of setting up a ‘Peace Room’ at Raj Bhavan for receiving complaints on Panchayat poll-related violence, about 300 such reports have poured in while Governor CV Ananda Bose has clarified that he is well within his constitutional limits to stand by the people and restore peace in the state through coordination with competent authorities.
Phones in Raj Bhavan have been ringing constantly ever since the Governor took the decision to set up the control room on Saturday night. He took the decision following his visit to violence-stricken areas in South 24-Parganas where he came across several people who requested him for help after violent clashes over nomination filing threw daily life out of gear. Several opposition candidates approached him with nomination papers in hand, alleging they were prevented from filing them by the ruling party workers.
Amid the complainants, BJP’s Darjeeling MP Raju Bista called the Peace Room number on Sunday night, reporting a threat to his life. The Governor instantly took up the matter with the State Election Commission (SEC) and the Chief Secretary of the state. Following this, the SEC asked the District Magistrate of Darjeeling to take immediate action. The Governor had instructed the Peace Room to report to him about the action taken by the police to protect the MP’s life even in the late hours of Sunday night.
Within minutes of receiving complaints, the Peace Room takes up the matter instantly with the SEC Commissioner or the Chief Secretary. The affected parties are informed about the follow-up action on a real-time basis. Similarly, Raj Bhavan sources on Monday said more than 300 such complaints have come in.
However, following the establishment of such a facility in Raj Bhavan, Trinamool Congress launched broadsides at the Governor, alleging he is acting beyond his constitutional limits and trying to act as the chairman of opposition parties. On Monday, the Governor told the media that he is well within his constitutional limits in helping people who are falling victim to violence. He said that “violence is not a fiction in Bengal but a reality”. Bose said that he trying to restore peace through coordination with competent authorities.
Responding to allegations that he is biased towards opposition parties, he emphasised that he is biased towards the safety of the people and upholding constitutional integrity. Asked if he supports the deployment of Central forces for the polls, he said the Calcutta High Court has already ordered its deployment and that order will stand unless overruled by the Supreme Court.
Opposition parties have opined that the Governor is doing what the SEC should have done instead of allegedly dancing to the tunes of the ruling party. CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty questioned why did the Governor in the first place appoint Rajiva Sinha as the Commissioner knowing that he is close to the ruling party. “Now that the SEC is reluctant in taking action against reports of violence, the Governor is setting up a Peace Room,” he said.