Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court has restrained West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and three others from making objectionable remarks against Governor CV Anand Bose.
The court said that the right to freedom of expression is not arbitrary. One cannot tarnish a person’s reputation by making derogatory statements under the guise of freedom of speech.
Justice Krishna Rao said in his order on Tuesday (July 16) that the next hearing of the case will be on August 14. Till then, no derogatory or false statements will be made against the governor through any publication or social media platforms.
The court said that if an interim order is not given at this stage, the accused will be allowed to continue making statements. Justice Krishna Rao said that the governor holds a constitutional post. He cannot respond to personal attacks being made by CM Mamata on social media platforms.
In fact, the Bengal Governor had filed a defamation case against Mamata Banerjee, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh and two MLAs – Sayantika Banerjee and Rayat Hussain Sarkar. The entire controversy is related to the allegations of sexual harassment against the Bengal Governor and the controversy over the venue of the swearing-in ceremony of two TMC MLAs last month.
Mamata had said on June 27 that women are afraid to go to the Raj Bhavan after the allegations of sexual harassment against the Bengal Governor. Therefore, she demanded that the MLAs be sworn in at the Assembly, while the Governor was in favor of holding the swearing-in ceremony at the Raj Bhavan.