Oneindia brings you an exclusive interview with C.V. Ananda Bose, the Governor of West Bengal, as he shares his insights on governance, political dynamics, law & order, and development initiatives in the state. In this candid conversation, he addresses key issues, challenges, and the way forward for Bengal. Watch this exclusive interview for insider perspectives on Bengal’s future! C.V. Ananda Bose
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NewsTranscript
00:00We have the pleasure of having Honorable West Bengal Governor Sri C. V. Ananda Bose with
00:06us with One India right now.
00:08Thank you for joining us Anzal.
00:10As the Governor of West Bengal, you have been always at loggerheads with the CM Mamata Banerjee
00:17in between.
00:18Often you have been at loggerheads with the CM.
00:21How you manage that political pressure?
00:23How you manage the equation with the CM?
00:27Actually when I first went there, there was this snake and mongoose game between the then
00:37Governor and the Chief Minister.
00:40I tried to change the game to Tom and Jerry.
00:43Who is Tom, who is Jerry?
00:46That game alternated between us.
00:49At times, it is also snake and ladder.
00:53Somebody will go deep down, will come up.
00:56This seesaw battle was going on, but there was an underlying appreciation for each other.
01:06I came without any prejudice.
01:09When I joined there, so many leaders told me and I also knew from the media that Bengal
01:18CM Mamata is a difficult person to deal with.
01:21But then, I have had interaction with many difficult persons even before.
01:28If one is difficult, you cease to be difficult.
01:32Things will settle down.
01:34We started off with a very, very mutually, mode of mutual appreciation.
01:39We made it very clear also.
01:42I also told, the CM told me, that is Mamata told me, Devendra sir, I have read a lot about
01:51you, I heard a lot about you.
01:53I know that you are an impartial person.
01:57I would like to continue this.
02:00I also said, you are the elected Chief Minister.
02:04In my conception, the front face of government is the elected Chief Minister, not the nominated
02:09Governor.
02:10I will always remain in the background.
02:12I will only facilitate your job as the Chief Minister.
02:16I am not here to create any problems for you.
02:19I think we expressed these sentiments in the beginning itself.
02:24So the beginning was good.
02:26Then we also started conveying our opinions on WhatsApp, encrypted WhatsApp.
02:35So that you know, public statements are public statements.
02:39Public statements are politically oriented.
02:42I as a Governor, I try to keep off politics.
02:47A political leader can always say whatever she or he wants, even about the Governor.
02:53I should not take it on a personal plane.
02:56When there were some such areas, grey areas, she would explain to me, what is behind the
03:03political statements that you are making.
03:06Though it was an initial discomfiture for me, I could understand that, why in that context
03:10such a statement is made.
03:12But we had an understanding that, you know, how give and take, mutual respect.
03:18Then at the time of election, then every political party will try any game for their advantage.
03:25There, of course, I was criticized very, very badly, even hurting my self-respect and reputation.
03:33Then I sued the Chief Minister for defamation.
03:39The court ordered, don't speak such things about the Governor.
03:45That order still remains.
03:47That is only for a brief period.
03:50Then the CM herself told me, Sir, I want to come and meet you.
03:54I said, you are always welcome.
03:57She came, she met me, for one hour she was with me.
04:02I don't want to come in the public domain of what we talked.
04:07But she came with a olive branch, I accepted it.
04:13Now it is again, we are moving on mutual respect and understanding.
04:20And I was also told, even though we criticized you, we know that you are a gentleman.
04:28She told the press also, we know that.
04:32And in the last two years, you have not done any political game.
04:36That also we know.
04:37But we took some stance against you because of political reasons.
04:42The latest one was Kumbh Mela.
04:45I went to Kumbh Mela because I was invited by the UP Chief Minister.
04:52So I went there.
04:54I am also a devout person who believes in the traditions and heritage of India.
05:03For me, it was a very pleasant and very positive experience which I got there.
05:09But the Chief Minister made a statement that it is a Vritti Kumbh.
05:16I said the Chief Minister as a political leader has every right to make comments or
05:23make her own analysis on anything that happens in the country.
05:25I respect it.
05:26I may not share her views, but I respect her freedom to say that.
05:32In my opinion, it is a Mukti Kumbh, not Vritti Kumbh.
05:39Or it's a Vritti Jaya Kumbh.
05:42I said 52 crores treat it as Mukti Kumbh.
05:48Here is one leader who treats it as Vritti Kumbh.
05:51So it's 52 crores against one.
05:54Let it remain there.
05:55I have no comments on that.
05:57So I'm trying to find solutions to problems, not problems in solutions.
06:05Even as a part of Indian Administrative Service and now as a Governor, you have to always
06:12convince CMs and Ministers and all, not as a Governor, of course.
06:16But there always there is a confusion or there is a clash of opinion, there is a difference
06:21of opinion with the Governments.
06:25Even now you have to be at loggerheads with the Governor.
06:29And when you were a part of IAS, you took extra effort to convince Ministers over different
06:36projects and all.
06:37How you manage this power struggle?
06:41The basic principles on which the IAS is based is objectivity, neutrality.
06:51If you remain objective, if you remain politically neutral, then it will be possible to convince
06:57the Ministers.
06:58In every file which I have handled, I always give the pros and cons of it.
07:04Then leave it to the Minister to decide which one he wants.
07:08Pros and cons will be there.
07:10If a decision is taken, which is beyond law, I will point it out.
07:17You point it out in person, don't criticize the Minister in front of others, don't try
07:26to belittle him.
07:28I have been able to manage this throughout my career, especially when I was handling
07:33a sensitive position as a Secretary to the Chief Minister of Kerala.
07:39You know, in his own party, there were different groups, then the opposition is there.
07:44I had no difficulties in handling any of them.
07:47We have to have established our credibility for objectivity and neutrality.
07:52And secondly, we should study the files very deeply.
07:57See behind every file, there is human life, there is human emotion, which cannot be ignored.
08:05The small problems should be given big attention.
08:10I have always been trying to do that.
08:12I have been with the people.
08:14That also affects the politicians.
08:16Your credibility, they will judge you by that.
08:22Then of course, you know, as a matter of principle, everything is not political interference.
08:32There is political interference and political action.
08:36If an MLA or an MP comes and meets the District Collector, or tries to put some pressures
08:43to get the government policies and programs implemented properly, that is political interference.
08:51It's not political interference.
08:52Interference is different.
08:53Interference, we should understand that the empathy should be there.
08:58And secondly, I don't listen to recommendations or pressures, but I always respect the right
09:05of the politicians.
09:06Bring to your notice, whatever they want.
09:10If we can do it, do it.
09:12If we cannot do it, explain it very politely that this is why it cannot be done.
09:16Most politicians are satisfied with that.
09:19And some of them are haughty.
09:21Some of them are arrogant.
09:22Well, there are ways of dealing with that.
09:26Rather than being a passive governor, as you yourself have said, rather than being
09:32a ceremonial, being in a ceremonial post of a governor, you have started to do so many
09:38things as a Vizbandhal governor.
09:40For example, you have opened the gates of Rajbhavan to media.
09:44You have started a peace room during election violence in Bengal.
09:50You have started to make a cultural bridge between Bengal and Kerala and other states.
09:56So, what prompted you to act in a way that most of the governors in our country are not doing?
10:03You have started some initiatives.
10:05You are doing.
10:06You are doing things.
10:08See, I respect all the governors.
10:11They are all doing things in their own way.
10:14As far as I am concerned, I would like to be people-centric.
10:20A governor's job is not an ornament.
10:25A governor's job is to be with the people, help the people.
10:29When we take the oath, the first part says, I will defend the constitution of India.
10:34The second part is, I will work for the welfare and well-being of the people of the state.
10:40Naturally, your concern should be for the people.
10:44So, I always try to go out with outreach programs to the people.
10:52Now, the flagship project is Amargram, that means my village.
10:58I go from village to village, stay with them, especially forest villages.
11:04Villages dominated by tribals.
11:07Spend time with them.
11:08The whole day, we spend time with them, listen to their grievances and try to solve their problems.
11:13You see, this time, for the first time in the history of that Raj Pavan,
11:20a tribal family was the distinguished guest for the Republic Day.
11:25They said, we have never seen a Raj Pavan.
11:28See, and then, when anything happens, atrocities, violence, or, you know, disasters,
11:38train accident, for instance.
11:40The train accident took place where a lot of people died from Bengal.
11:45There was a family which lost three of her sons.
11:48Mother lost three of her sons.
11:51I didn't go to the main places where the accident took place.
11:55I went to their house.
11:57It is deep inside Sundarbans.
12:00I also go there with some financial assistance for those who want it.
12:06And then, when violence takes place, if I have the information earlier,
12:11I go there to prevent the violence.
12:15When the violence has taken place, I go to the hospital to meet the people who are hospitalized.
12:20And also go to the houses where people are killed.
12:24Try to consult them, try to help them.
12:27Then, anybody can talk to the governor anytime.
12:33Peace room is for 24x7.
12:36There are people to attend the telephone calls.
12:38If anybody is keen on talking to the governor directly, I pick up the phone.
12:43One instance, I get a call at midnight, 12.30 or so.
12:49One man told me, Sir, I am from Darjeeling.
12:53Some goondas have surrounded my house with bombs.
12:59Then, nothing was heard.
13:02I didn't know what exactly happened.
13:04So, I told the police.
13:07They located the house.
13:09They went there.
13:12The next day, this young man came with his wife and child.
13:17And told me, Sir, but for your interference, my head would not have been on me now.
13:22See, this kind of accessibility.
13:25See, governor should be accessible.
13:28I try to be accessible to the public.
13:31That gives me a lot of satisfaction.
13:34Even as an administrative officer, you have done so many projects.
13:42Especially DTPC, Nirmithi.
13:45All these initiatives taken by you, it has such a huge impact in Kerala even now.
13:53It has created that impact.
13:56So, as a governor and before as an administrative officer,
14:00as you said right now, you are always people-centric.
14:02What will be your next movement or next idea that you are going to implement in Bangalore?
14:07I want to continue my campaign.
14:11And use my good offices as governor for two things.
14:16Make Bengal violence-free, corruption-free.
14:22The two cankers that are eating the body politic there are violence and corruption.
14:28I think as governor, there is quite a bit which can be done.
14:33By these field visits and intervention against violence in the field.
14:40Quite a lot of improvement is there.
14:43For instance, in the last election, the media reported.
14:49Prior to that, there were about 120 deaths election time.
14:55This time it is only 36 or so.
14:58They attributed it to the intervention of the governor.
15:01So, such activities I will continue.
15:04Thank you, sir.