Guv urges Railway minister for Kolkata-Darjeeling ‘peace train’

Kolkata: After opening a ‘peace room’ at Raj Bhavan during Panchayat poll violence, Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose is now learnt to have requested the Railway minister for a ‘peace train’ from Kolkata to Darjeeling.

Initially, Bose had ordered setting up a peace room at Raj Bhavan where he said people could call to report on violence relating to Panchayat elections in the state. Now, he is learnt to have requested Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for introducing a ‘peace train’ from Kolkata to Darjeeling. Bose was attending an event of the Railways in Kolkata where he conveyed his wish to Vaishnaw.

Bose informed media that this train will travel to Darjeeling via Jalpaiguri.

He said that the two enemies of Bengal are violence and corruption. However, his comments have again drawn flak from the state’s ruling party which has been at crosswords with the Governor over the past several months.

TMC Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen said that the Governor has allegedly made anti-Bengal comments during the

Railway event.

He said that Bose should have known that Bengal is in a far better place as compared to the states ruled by the BJP. He also said that Bose, like his predecessor Jagdeep Dhankar who was made the vice-president after his governorship in Bengal, is appeasing the Modi government for cynical ambitions.

The state government has also been locking horns with the Governor over several issues, one of which includes the education sector.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has criticised Bose for allegedly making random persons as vice-chancellors of state universities. Bose has also not signed the Bill that the state had earlier passed making the Chief Minister the chancellor of state universities instead of the Governor.

The state is also learnt to have decided to go to the apex court to challenge some decisions of the Governor.