West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose has urged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to comply with Article 167(c) of the Indian Constitution by informing Raj Bhavan of all decisions made by the state cabinet. This request comes in the wake of the public outcry following the gruesome rape and murder of a woman doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital.
A statement from the Governor’s office, issued Monday night, emphasized that under Article 167, it is the Chief Minister’s duty to provide the Governor with details of all cabinet decisions relating to the state’s administration and any proposed legislation. The statement also reminded the Chief Minister that updates should be provided on matters discussed by the cabinet, especially when a minister’s decision was not taken into consideration by the cabinet.
The Governor’s office criticised the state administration and law enforcement, stating that public perception had condemned their actions in this case. The statement outlined several concerns, including misinformation given to the victim’s parents, alleged tampering of the crime scene, delays in filing the FIR, and the hasty disposal of the body despite the parents’ request for more time. Furthermore, it noted that the transfer and reappointment of the Principal of the hospital raised suspicions about the state’s intentions, as did the Kolkata Police’s alleged attempts to cover up the crime scene tampering.
The statement added that civil society and the courts had strongly reprimanded the law enforcement agencies for their handling of the case, particularly regarding the events following the discovery of the victim’s body.
