West Bengal post-poll violence: HC pulls up Mamata govt for inaction; asks NHRC to step in

Pulling up the TMC government for inaction over the West Bengal post-poll violence, the Calcutta High Court directed the National Human Rights Commission to play a key role. The 5-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justices IP Mukerji, Harish Tandon, Soumen Sen and Subrata Talukdar was hearing BJP leader Priyanka Tibrewal's plea which claimed that over 200 persons have been unable to return back home owing to the continued threat to their lives. Tibrewal, who unsuccessfully contested the West Bengal polls from Entally, is also a practising advocate in the Calcutta HC and the Supreme Court.

By an order dated May 31, the HC had constituted a three-member committee to help the persons displaced after the post-poll violence return to their homes. However, Tibrewal claimed that many of the persons who were able to return back home were being threatened with cross cases when the NHRC forwarded the complaints to the concerned police station. Meanwhile, the West Bengal Legal Services Authority submitted that it received 3243 complaints till noon on June 10 pertaining to a range of issues such as looting, threats, assault, sexual assault, ransom demand, land-grabbing and forced closure of businesses.

Observing that the Mamata Banerjee-led government had failed to take concrete steps, the bench observed on June 18, "In a case like where the allegation is that life and property of the residents of the State is in danger on account of alleged post-poll violence, the State cannot be allowed to proceed in the manner it likes. The complaints required immediate action. But somehow from the facts as are available on record and are sought to be projected by the petitioners, such an action is missing."

In wake of this, the NHRC chairperson was directed to constitute a committee to examine all complaints pertaining to post-poll violence. The panel has been empowered to visit the affected areas and submit a comprehensive report to the HC on the present situation and the steps to be taken to ensure that people can not only live peacefully in their homes but also carry on their business. Ordering the state government to provide all logistic support to the panel, the court warned that obstruction of any kind may invite contempt action. Thereafter, the matter was adjourned to June 30. 

Post-poll violence in West Bengal

BJP, Congress, CPI(M), TMC and ISF have been up in arms over the violence which claimed at least 16 lives after the declaration of poll results. While the MHA sought a detailed report from the state government regarding the "post-election violence targeting opposition political workers in the state" and sent a 4-member team there, PM Modi called up Dhankhar and expressed his anguish at the law and order situation. Though TMC attributed the deaths to "intra-BJP fights," Banerjee requested everyone to remain peaceful.

Meanwhile, BJP president JP Nadda visited WB for two days where he met the families of the affected party workers in Pratapnagar, Beliaghata, North 24 Parganas and Gopalpur. In another development, CM Mamata Banerjee announced a compensation of Rs.2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased persons. She also warned that her government will act against anyone circulating "fake videos" on post-poll violence. Ignoring Banerjee's opposition, the WB Governor visited violence-hit areas in Cooch Behar and areas of Assam where people from the state are camping.