Governor orders unprecedented sweep of Raj Bhavan after “weapon storage” charge by Trinamool MP

A political storm erupted in West Bengal after Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee alleged that weapons were being stored inside the Raj Bhavan and that the Governor was sheltering BJP-backed criminals. The claim prompted Governor CV Anand Bose to take the rare step of initiating a full-scale search of the Raj Bhavan premises.

According to officials, such an incident has never occurred in the history of the Raj Bhavan. The Governor, who was on a North Bengal tour, abruptly returned to Kolkata on Monday to personally oversee the inspection. The Raj Bhavan said the operation was conducted jointly by its security teams and was broadcast live on television.

Tensions escalated after Kalyan Banerjee publicly criticised the Governor for supporting the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list. The Raj Bhavan had swiftly issued a statement on Sunday dismissing the MP’s allegations as baseless and “explosive”.

The unprecedented search has deepened the political confrontation between the Governor and the ruling Trinamool Congress. Senior officials are now reviewing the findings of the inspection, even as the controversy continues to dominate the state's political discourse.