West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose formally started the budget session in the assembly on Monday. In his speech, he praised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her government on many fronts, including its welfare schemes, Bengal Global Business Summit, law and order, etc.
The relationship between Governor Bose and the state government has been topsy-turvy from the beginning. They have frequently engaged in direct confrontations and counterattacks on various issues. The tug of war between the Raj Bhavan and the state had reached unprecedented heights with the governor not attending the budget session last year.
However, the tensions seemed to have eased a bit in recent times. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, along with speaker Biman Banerjee, welcomed Governor Bose at the assembly on Monday. They paid floral tributes to a statue of B.R. Ambedkar before making their way towards the assembly hall.
Governor Bose heaped praises on the West Bengal government for successfully organising the eighth Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS).
“The eighth BGBS was successfully organised. If the proposed investments are implemented, it will increase the amount of economic activity in the state as well as increase the employment,” he said during his speech.
Governor Bose has repeatedly raised concerns about West Bengal's law and order situation, particularly regarding RG Kar, Sandeshkhali, and post-poll violence. However, on Monday, he also commended the state's law and order, highlighting the peaceful observance of religious festivals like Durga Puja, Eid, Christmas, Guru Nanak Jayanti, and Buddha Purnima.
Lauding the state’s welfare schemes, the governor said that the Duare Sarkar (government at your doorstep) was one of the best initiatives by the state to distribute the benefits of government schemes.
Governor Bose also credited the government for uplifting the state’s poor people, including women and children, with schemes to financially aid them and provide them with employment opportunities despite the Centre’s lack of support at times.
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who had claimed before the start of the assembly session that the governor had returned the speech prepared for him by the West Bengal government, tried to register his protest during the speech of the state’s constitutional head.
LoP Adhikari had stated that the governor refused to read the speech given to him by the state because it was filled with criticism of the central government. “The state government was forced to prepare and send a new speech,” he had said.