Army officials meet West Bengal Governor over CM Mamata Banerjee’s recent comments, raise objections
On January 13, without sharing further details, the chief minister had claimed that the Army personnel from the Eastern Command headquarters were involved in political activities in the controversial SIR of electoral rolls in West Bengal.
Kolkata: The Indian army has urged for the intervention of West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, days after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that a senior Army officer at Fort William was involved in the SIR exercise on the behest of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).
Two army officials from Fort Williams met the governor
As per the report news agency PTI, two army officials from Fort Williams, the headquarters of the Eastern Command met the governor last week. After meeting him, the officers submitted a communication that objected to CM Banerjee’s remarks
The details of the discussion are not immediately known. However, the governor took the matter seriously and brought up the matter with competent authorities at the Centre. "The Army officers are understood to have spoken to the Governor and requested his intervention in the matter. The Army is peeved with the chief minister’s recent remarks suggesting that a commandant of the forces was working for the BJP while remaining posted at Fort William,” the official told PTI.
What did Mamata Banerjee said?
Earlier on January 13, without sharing further details, the chief minister had claimed that the Army personnel from the Eastern Command headquarters were involved in political activities in the controversial SIR of electoral rolls in West Bengal.
"I have information that a commandant at Fort William is working on SIR to lend support to the BJP. He is sitting there and doing the work of the BJP party office. I request them with folded hands to desist from such activities," the CM had said while addressing a press conference.
The Governor approaches defence ministry over the matter
It is understood that following the discussion, the governor spoke to Defence Ministry officials on the matter, brought to its notice the situation, the official said as per the agency. "Let me first verify for myself what she said. If this violates any constitutional propriety, I will certainly intervene," he had earlier said when asked to to respond to CM Banerjee’s comments.