In a major blow to the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal, the Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered a court-monitored Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged incidents of post-poll violence in the state. A five-judge bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal ruled in the post-poll violence case.
The High Court also ordered to set up Special Investigation Team (SIT) for investigation and senior officers from West Bengal cadre will be a part of the team. The SIT will work under the supervision of a retired judge of the court. That report must also be submitted within six weeks. Even as the CBI has been given the task of investigation, the court will keep an eye on the whole matter. The High Court also said that financial compensation would be given to the victims. In that case, the money has to be paid directly to the bank accounts to avoid corruption and controversy.
The state government has consistently claimed there has been no political violence in the state after the TMC’s coming to power for the third time in the state. Trinamool Congress state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said he was not happy with the verdict. He tweeted, “The High Court order cannot be openly opposed. They gave instructions. The government and the top leadership of the party will look into the matter and respond. Possible legal aspects will be considered. We think the report of the central human rights commission is purely politically motivated. However, I am not commenting on the comments of the High Court now.”
On 15 July, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) team probing the alleged post-poll violence in West Bengal had submitted its final report to Calcutta High Court. The BJP leadership is naturally happy with the court’s verdict. The BJP has been complaining from the beginning in this case that the police do not want to take up complaints. In most cases, the BJP has alleged that TMC activists have attacked BJP workers.
State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said, “We have been saying from the beginning that there is violence. The court’s ruling has proved that the NHRC’s report was not biased. This time, the oppressed will get justice.”
The court questioned the role of the police administration. There are repeated mentions that the role of the police was not correct. The court also ruled that the state had made political allegations against the NHRC.
Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari said: “Calcutta High Court’s decision has rejected all statements made by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and state government. This proves that the state government wants to hide the matter to achieve political goals. Political violence should be stopped in Bengal permanently.”
Taking to Twitter, Adhikari said, “WB rulers made Bengal a laboratory of political violence. Today’s historical judgement by the five-member bench of Calcutta High Court indicts them for failing to protect human rights. Hence it is proved that the judiciary is the most formidable pillar of the Constitution and democracy.”
After the Calcutta High Court’s order for a CBI inquiry into the alleged post-poll violence in West Bengal, Atif Rasheed, Vice Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities on Thursday said the order is the first step towards justice to the innocent voters of the state. Rasheed was also a member of the team constituted by the National Human Rights Commission probing the alleged post-poll violence in West Bengal.
Rasheed said, “This order is the first step towards justice to those innocent voters of Bengal. It is the first step of justice to those who exercised their constitutional right in the Bengal elections by voting for the party of their choice and in return had to face the consequences of violence, murder, rape and exodus, which were ignored by the police and the government.”
WITH AGENCY INPUTS
