Bengal Governor unveils own statue at Raj Bhavan, faces political backlash

The Governor's office said that the statue was a gift and not initiated by Ananda Bose himself. Political parties accused him of self-glorification and branding the act as shameful and egotistical.

In Short

• CV Ananda Bose completes 2 years as Governor of Bengal
• Trinamool, Left, Congress attacks Bose for unveiling his own statue
• Governor says current political situation in Bengal is 'very bad'

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, marking two years in office, unveiled a statue of himself at Raj Bhavan on Saturday. The move sparked a major political controversy, with opposition parties criticising it as a matter of shame and accusing him of displaying an inflated sense of self-importance.

The statue was ceremonially unveiled ahead of the inauguration of a painting exhibition and drawing competition for school students held inside the Raj Bhavan.

Criticism has erupted over the Governor installing a statue of himself while still in office, as videos and pictures of the unveiling have gone viral on social media, with netizens accusing him of eulogising himself.

The ruling Trinamool Congress has attacked the Governor, calling it a publicity stunt.

"Our governor, CV Anand Bose, has inaugurated his own statue, which is something unheard of. He did it because he wanted some kind of publicity. But the point is, what is the next step? Will he garland his own statue? It's a sign of a megalomaniac," Trinamool spokesperson Jayprakash Majumder said.

CPM central committee member Sujan Chakraborty called it "a disgrace". "The disgrace is sitting with Raj Bhavan lit up. This is unfortunate for our state," he said. Congress spokesperson Soumya Aich Roy echoed the views and said "It is a matter of great shame. A small game is being played on the culture of Bengal".

According to sources, the statue was gifted to the Governor by artist Partha Saha, who is affiliated with the Indian Museum in Kolkata. Saha created the fibre statue based on a photograph of the Governor, without ever meeting him in person.

The Governor's office clarified that the statue was not installed by Governor Bose himself but was a gift from the artist and the Indian Museum. Nevertheless, the incident has sparked political debate, with many questioning the propriety of installing a statue of a living person.

During the statue unveiling ceremony on Saturday, Governor Bose described Bengal's current political situation as "very bad."

"This situation affects only the politicians. However, the people of Bengal will not tolerate it for long," he said, describing his two-year tenure as Governor of Bengal as "sweet and sour".