Bengal Governor asks bomb squad to search Raj Bhavan after Trinamool MP claims he's supplying arms to BJP 'goons'

KOLKATA: The face-off between West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose and Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee continued on Monday with the former asking the Kolkata Police to conduct search operations inside the Raj Bhavan premises to find out whether arms and ammunition have been stored there. Bose took this unprecedented move to counter Kalyans claim that the Governor had been sheltering BJP goons and supplying them with arms and ammunition to kill Trinamool workers. The veteran MP from Sreerampore in Hooghly district had made the remarks on Saturday while reacting to Boses recent statement on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Bose had said the exercise helped purify the voter list. As long as an incompetent governor like you remains, as long as a BJP-servant governor remains, you will never see anything good happening in West Bengal, Kalyan added. Police officials, a bomb disposal squad with sniffer dog, disaster management personnel and CRPF men reached Raj Bhavan on Monday afternoon and carried out the search operation in every room and the lawns inside the complex. The search was conducted under the Governor's physical supervision. Employees were asked to vacate their rooms so that the search process could be done thoroughly. Nothing was found during the search. I will take legal action against Kalyan Banerjee. I have decided to take strong action if fake allegations are made, Bose told reporters on Monday. Earlier, in 2024, molestation charges brought against Bose by a woman employee at Raj Bhavan were proved false and baseless after an inquiry by a retired judge. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, the Governor had said Kalyan's allegation was inflammatory, explosive and irresponsible. Bose demanded an unconditional apology from Kalyan or else he would take legal action against the Trinamool Congress MP. The latter threatened to countersue if the Governor took any action against him. When a ruling party MP says that arms and ammunition are there inside Raj Bhavan, is he expressing his lack of confidence in the police force of the state? Bose had asked on Sunday. Raj Bhavan has been open since early morning for around 100 people including the public and journalists for inspection and verification of any arms and ammunition stacked within the premises. Already, some people have come, and some are still coming. They can see everything themselves, the constitutional head of the state had said. The BJP also strongly criticised the Trinamool MP's remarks. BJP MP Jaganath Sarkar said that Kalyan has lost his mental balance. As he is a member of Parliament, action should be taken against him for such a comment, Sarkar added.