Coming as a major jolt to Mamata Banerjee’s government, which had tried its level best to stop the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) from investigating post-poll violence in the state of West Bengal, the Calcutta High Court on Friday came down heavily on the state administration for its incompetence and negligence in handling the post-poll violence in the state.
The Court ordered the Kolkata police to file an FIR against those TMC goons who were involved in sectarian and political violence in the state post the electoral victory of TMC. It said that the FIR should be filed based on National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recommendations.
Calcutta HC orders second autopsy of BJP worker Avijit Sarkar
The court also ordered a second post mortem to be conducted with respect to BJP worker Avijit Sarkar, who was allegedly killed by a mob in the wake of the post-poll violence in the State.
It becomes important to recollect here how Avijit Sarkar was brutally murdered by TMC goons in Ward no. 30 at Beleghata in Kolkata. Just hours before he was lynched to death by the miscreants, Sarkar had taken to Facebook to narrate the harrowing tale of violence that he was subjected to by the TMC goons.
Show cause notice issued to Deputy Commissioner of Police of South Kolkata for his incompetence to protect the NHRC team on its visit to Jadavpur
The Calcutta High Court further issued a show-cause notice for contempt of court proceedings against Deputy Commissioner of Police of South Kolkata, Rashid Munir Khan for failing to protect the team of NHRC which was visiting Jadavpur to examine allegations of post-poll violence. It also issued notice to District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police in certain districts which were hit by the violence.
Necessary medical treatment to the victims of Bengal post-poll violence: Calcutta HC
In the order passed today the Calcutta High Court also observed that necessary medical treatment should be provided to those who were injured in the violence that was unleashed by the TMC goons at the behest of CM Mamata Banerjee.
The 5-Judge Bench of ACJ Rajesh Bindal and Justices IP Mukerji, Harish Tandon, Soumen Sen and Subrata Talukdar, passed the order in a batch of petitions alleging that many people from BJP were subject to violence after the ruling TMC swept to power in the 2021 assembly elections. The order was passed after examining an interim report submitted by the NHRC.
The fact-finding committee constituted to inquire about the post-poll atrocities on BJP workers by TMC hoodlums in West Bengal had submitted the interim report on June 30. However, NHRC counsel Subir Sanyal had informed Calcutta HC that it is only a partial report and requested more time so that the Committee can visit all affected areas before submitting a comprehensive report.
NHRC’s interim report was submitted in court in a sealed envelope. The State counsel sought permission to receive a copy of the interim report and make submissions on the same. However, the court, refusing to share the interim report said that the State would get the opportunity to make submissions, but only after NHRC submits its full report. The court has kept the next hearing for July 13, when the NHRC is expected to submit its final report.
Violence in Bengal not sporadic or spontaneous but well-planned and premeditated: NHRC
The High Court had, on June 18, ordered the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to constitute a committee to examine complaints by persons displaced by post poll violence in West Bengal.
The NHRC had in its report revealed that the violence in Bengal, post, Mamata Banerjee’s landslide victory was not sporadic or spontaneous but well-planned and premeditated.
Sharing further details, the committee informed that many supporters of a political party were forced to flee their homes due to a targeted attack. Houses were burnt and ransacked with the victims made to give in writing that they will not support a particular political party.
After observing the impact of the post-poll violence in Bengal unleased by the ruling party, the committee has submitted 15 recommendations and observations emphasizing the release of compensation for the victims. “Immediate actions should be taken to restore the confidence of common man,” demanded the committee.
Vice-Chairman of Minority Commission threatened by TMC goons
In an OpIndia Exclusive, we reported how Atif Rasheed, the vice-chairman of the minority commission who was on a visit as part of the panel to Jadavpur where the TMC hoodlums went berserk and targetted the BJP workers, was threatened by the TMC goons.
Just as he was investigating the ground situation, locals of the area were seen threatening him.
Around 40 houses found burnt
While speaking with OpIndia, Rasheed, who was part of the HC-directed NHRC fact-finding committee, revealed that he found about 40 houses that belonged to BJP workers that had been burnt to the ground. He further said that for the past 2 months, nobody knows the whereabouts of the BJP activists.
Rasheed said that the police had filed no FIRs or complaints in the matter even after rampant post-poll violence in Jadavpur, Bengal.
