Raj Bhavans have become BJP war rooms: TMC slams govt over major governor reshuffle
New Delhi (PTI): The Trinamool Congress on Friday said the governor reshuffle effected across several states reflects the Modi government's contempt for constitutional federalism and slammed it for turning Raj Bhavans into BJP war rooms.
The party was reacting to Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi being appointed as the new governor of West Bengal, replacing C V Ananda Bose, who resigned abruptly on Thursday.
The appointment was a part of a major reshuffle of gubernatorial posts effected in several states and Union territories by President Droupadi Murmu late on Thursday night.
Trinamool Congress leader Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said state governments should be involved in the appointment of governors.
Citing the recommendations by the Sarkaria and Punchhi Commissions, he said "state governments must be involved in the appointment of the governor with the formation of panels, recommended by Sarkaria Commission".
"Punchhi Commission on Centre-State Relations recommended that governor must be appointed after consultation with the State concerned. Who listens?" the TMC Rajya Sabha MP said on X.
TMC's deputy leader in Rajya Sabha Sagarika Ghose said it is "basic grammar of federalism".
"The Sarkaria and Punchhi Commissions were clear: state governments should be consulted in the appointment of governors. That's basic grammar of federalism and democracy" Ghose said on X.
"By unilaterally appointing a new governor for Bengal, the Modi government again displays its contempt for constitutional federalism. Raj Bhavans becoming BJP war rooms," she charged.
The Punchhi Commission on reforms in Centre-State relations, under former Chief Justice Madan Mohan Punchhi, in a report in 2010 recommended appointment of the governor be made by a panel, including the chief minister.
The Sarkaria Commission, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjit Singh Sarkaria, had recommended that the chief minister of the concerned state must be consulted before appointment of governor.
Political circles were abuzz with the unexpected resignation of Bose as the West Bengal governor just weeks before the Assembly polls there.
In a communique, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said that President Murmu has accepted Bose's resignation.
Talking to PTI over the phone from Delhi, Bose had said, "Yes, I have resigned. I have been the Governor of Bengal for three-and-a-half years; it's enough for me."
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that Bose may have been pressured by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to "serve certain political interests" ahead of the polls.
With Ravi moving to West Bengal, the Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said that Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar will discharge the functions of the Tamil Nadu governor.
As the governor of Tamil Nadu, Ravi, a former deputy national security adviser, was frequently locked in public battles with the M K Stalin-led DMK government in the southern state over different issues.
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Allahabad HC orders FIR against Rahul Gandhi in dual citizenship case
Lucknow (PTI): The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday ordered an FIR be filed against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in connection with an alleged dual citizenship controversy.
The bench permitted the state government to hand over the probe to any central probe agency after registration of the FIR.
The order was passed by a bench of Justice Subhash Vidyarthi on a petition filed by S Vignesh Shishir, who had challenged a January 28 order of a special MP/MLA court rejecting his plea for an FIR against Gandhi, the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
The special court had earlier held that it was not competent to adjudicate on issues related to citizenship.
The petitioner, a BJP worker from Karnataka, had sought registration of an FIR and a detailed probe into the matter, levelling allegations against Gandhi under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Official Secrets Act, the Foreigners Act and the Passport Act.
The complaint was initially filed before the special MP/MLA court in Rae Bareli. However, on the petitioner's request, the high court transferred the case to Lucknow on December 17, 2025.
The MP/MLA court in Lucknow subsequently dismissed the plea on January 28, 2026, prompting the petitioner to approach the high court, which has now ordered registration of an FIR.
In its order, the bench said that from a bare perusal of the allegations, prima facie cognizable offences were made out against Gandhi and hence the allegations required to be investigated.
The bench said that the special court should have looked into whether the allegations prima facie made out any cognizable offences or not, but it failed to consider it.
Earlier, Deputy Solicitor General of India SB Pandey produced the central government's records in the court relating to the citizenship controversy surrounding Gandhi.
Government counsel VK Singh also consented on behalf of the UP government that the allegations prima facie made out cognizable offences.
After having a detailed hearing, the bench found that the material on records showed that Gandhi had committed "cognizable offences" in having dual citizenship, and these allegations required to be probed.
The petitioner has alleged that Rahul is a UK Citizen and incorporated a company named M/S Backops Ltd in August 2003.
It was further submitted that Gandhi categorically admitted and voluntarily declared his nationality as British, having a Director Identification ID and London and Hampshire addresses.
In his petition, Shishir claimed that Rahul submitted the company's annual returns in October 2005 and October 2006, listing his nationality as British.
Thereafter, the company was dissolved through a dissolution application in February 2009.
According to the petitioner, the material placed before the court includes records suggesting that Rahul Gandhi may have been listed as a voter in the United Kingdom and participated in electoral processes there.
During the course of the hearing, the high court earlier directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to place all relevant records, including classified documents, before the court.
