West Bengal post-poll violence: LoP Adhikari welcomes HC verdict, lambasts Mamata Banerjee

Reacting to a Calcutta High Court verdict ordering a CBI-probe into West Bengal's alleged post-poll violence, state Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari said that the court had rejected all statements made by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

As soon as the Calcutta High Court announced its order on Thursday, the BJP had hit out at the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), citing scathing remarks of the court. The Calcutta High Court has ordered a court-monitored CBI probe into alleged incidents of post-poll violence in West Bengal and has directed that all cases of murder and crimes against women, including rape, be transferred to the CBI.

News agency ANI quoted Adhikari as saying that the Bengal Government wants "to hide the matter to achieve political gains." 

"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," Adhikari told ANI.

On Thursday night, the state BJP leader wrote on Twitter, "violence has no place in democracy". Prior to that, he had also described the judgement as 'historic'. "Hence it is proved that Judiciary is the most formidable pillar of Constitution & Democracy, (sic)' Adhikari asserted.   

West Bengal post-poll violence verdict: Major setback to TMC Government

The 5-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justices IP Mukerji, Harish Tandon, Soumen Sen, and Subrata Talukdar heard the plea of BJP leader Priyanka Tibrewal who alleged that over 200 people have been unable to return back to their homes due to continued threat to their lives. Thereafter, the court directed the NHRC chairperson to form a committee to examine all complaints pertaining to the alleged violence. 

Reactions from TMC, BJP

Meanwhile, TMC leader Saugata Roy expressed unhappiness over the verdict. Roy claimed that the matter was of "the state government's jurisdiction" and the decision of involving the CBI is "transgression on the State's right." The TMC leader also expressed confidence over the "state government to judge the situation and make a decision to appeal to a higher court if necessary." 

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia noted that the Calcutta High Court ruling was crucial since the decision had been unanimously passed by the 5-bench judge. He asserted that the court's order for a CBI probe had highlighted that justice could only be possible with "fair investigation," something, he said, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had failed to do. Bhatia further stated that the BJP firmly stood by those who had been victims of the West Bengal post-poll violence. "We would definitely like to give this message to our brothers and sisters who are in West Bengal that it is our priority that they get justice," he added.

(With inputs from ANI)