‘Remove’ edu minister from Cabinet, Bengal Governor urges govt

A DAY after West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose released a “status report” on universities, he has asked the state government to remove Education Minister Bratya Basu from the Cabinet for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), sources in the Raj Bhavan said on Thursday.

Reacting to the reports, Basu said by making such an accusation, the Governor has “misused his constitutional post and proved his political identity”.

The Governor has sought action against Basu over a one-day convention organised by the Trina moo lC on gr es s-run professors’organisation web cup a at the Gour Banga University grounds last week. Apart from Basu, about 1,700 representatives of various colleges and universities of the state participated in the event.

Bose had later removed Rajat Kishore Dey from the post of vice-chancellor of the university for allegedly violating the MCC. However, hours later, the state government reinstated him and called his removal a “unilateral” decision by the Supreme Court and Bose.

“The office of the Governor feels that it is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Therefore, the Governor has asked the state government to remove the minister from the cabinet,” said a source in the Raj Bhavan.

Bose is the chancellor of all state-run universities.

Taking to ‘X’, Basu said that it was the job of a political party to bring poll code violations to the EC'S notice. “This is as laughable as myself recommending the removal of the Governor to the President of India. If I have violated the poll code, it is the prerogative of a political party to bring it to the notice of the Election Commission of India, which will take appropriate action,” he wrote in X.

“By raising such an accusation, he has misused his constitutional post and proved his political identity. Secondly, the Indian Constitution clearly states that the recommendation of appointment or removal of any Minister lies with the Chief Minister. He has not only shown his true colours, he has exceeded his constitutional limit as well," the minister further wrote.

According to PTI, the Governor on Thursday also slammed Basu after he labbeled Bose “insane” amid discussions on the operational confusion in state-run universities. The Governor reportedly said that Basu's allegations was an attempt totarnishhisrelationshipwithhis constitutional colleague, CM Mamata Banerjee.