West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose is likely to file a defamation case against a Trinamool Congress MP who alleged that arms were being stockpiled inside the Raj Bhavan.
The Governor’s office has strongly denied the accusation, calling it baseless, politically motivated and an attempt to malign the constitutional institution.
The controversy adds to the ongoing tensions between the Raj Bhavan and the state’s ruling party, which have frequently clashed over governance and law-and-order issues.
West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose is considering filing a defamation case against Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee after the MP alleged that arms and ammunition were being stored inside the Raj Bhavan and supplied to BJP leaders.
On Saturday, Banerjee accused the Governor of “sheltering BJP criminals” within the Raj Bhavan premises and arming them with guns and explosives. He claimed that weapons were being distributed to individuals close to the BJP, raising concerns about security and political motives.
In response, Governor Bose cut short a scheduled trip to North Bengal and on Monday personally supervised a large-scale security sweep inside Raj Bhavan. The operation involved Kolkata Police, central forces, the bomb squad, sniffer dogs, disaster management teams and civil defence personnel. The building was evacuated for the exercise, which was opened to civil society representatives and the media.
After the search concluded, Bose announced that no arms or ammunition were found. He also issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Banerjee to apologise or face “strong legal action.” The Governor described the MP’s comments as “inflammatory, explosive, and irresponsible,” warning that such statements, if left unanswered, could erode constitutional authority and public trust.
Bose also questioned the political intent behind the accusations, asking whether the MP was expressing distrust in the police or attempting to address internal party dynamics. The Governor’s office had earlier opened Raj Bhavan for public inspection to demonstrate transparency and counter the allegations.
The confrontation marks a sharp escalation in ongoing tensions between the Raj Bhavan and West Bengal’s ruling party.
