Governor asks Bengal govt to sack education minister

West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose “directed” Bengal govt to sack state education minister Bratya Basu, prompting the latter to say this was “as laughable as myself recommending the removal of the governor to the President”. Basu said governor Bose had not only revealed his true colours, but exceeded his constitutional brief in asking for his removal, which is the constitutional prerogative of the CM. The latest flare-up has its origins in a complicated legal tangle over the appointment of vice-chancellors to 31 state-run universities, which is now in SC and which has precipitated a barrage of vexed statements and counter-statements by both Basu and Bose. As chancellor of state-run varsities, Bose has not kept the state in the loop while appointing officiating VCs and asked them repeatedly not to heed the govt.