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regular-article-logo Monday, 20 May 2024

Raj Bhavan staff asks about wellbeing of complainant despite Bengal Governor’s bar

Text messages to C.V. Ananda Bose and emails sent to official email ID and his secretary seeking response to purported show of support for woman from some of Raj Bhavan staffers did not yield any response

Monalisa Chaudhuri Calcutta Published 08.05.24, 06:13 AM
Raj Bhavan

Raj Bhavan File picture

The young Raj Bhavan staffer who has accused the Bengal governor of harassing her said several colleagues had called her to enquire about her wellbeing despite the governor’s bar on the Raj Bhavan staff speaking on the allegations.

Some of them praised her for “raising your voice”, she said.

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“I have been told that there have been discussions in office that many of them (her colleagues) had heard about his (governor’s) character but the fact that I have mustered the courage to protest against it has increased their respect towards me,” the woman told this newspaper on Tuesday.

She said she received phone calls from some of her colleagues who were concerned about her and were happy that she “protested”.

However, at the same time, they are “scared of losing their job or the (Raj Bhavan) quarters”, which compel them to remain silent in public, the woman said.

This newspaper could not independently verify what she said.

Text messages to governor C.V. Ananda Bose and emails sent to the governor’s official email ID and his secretary seeking a response to the purported show of support for the woman from some of the Raj Bhavan staffers did not yield any response till Tuesday night.

Asked if her colleagues were willing to come out in public or cooperate with the police probe, she said: “No one will come out in the open. Some are scared they will lose their jobs, some do not have a place to live in and they fear they will lose the quarters (at Raj Bhavan). Some are taking advantage (of their post). Hence, no one will speak in public. I know I have only myself to restore my dignity,” the woman said.

The 29-year-old contractual staff member at Raj Bhavan alleged that the governor had made advances towards her on April 24 and again on May 2.

The woman lodged a written complaint with the police on May 2 alleging that Bose had on April 19 asked her to meet him with her bio data. She said she met Bose at his office around 12.45pm on April 24 when he allegedly made her an indecent proposal and touched her inappropriately. She had told police that she managed to get out of the room.

She narrated a second inappropriate encounter that allegedly happened on May 2.

On Sunday, the governor issued a statement that asked the Raj Bhavan staff to “ignore” any police communication and not to participate in the police enquiry about the allegations. This was a day after Kolkata Police sought CCTV footage from Raj Bhavan.

The police have summoned several Raj Bhavan staffers in connection with the enquiry but none has turned up at Hare Street police station, a police officer said.

The woman said on Tuesday that she was scared about the fate of the Raj Bhavan employees who tried to express solidarity with her.

“Please do not disclose their names. It would be very difficult for them if they are identified,” she requested this newspaper.

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