Mamata Not Cooperating With CISF: Home Ministry Slams West Bengal Government

New Delhi: In an all-out war by the Centre against the Mamata government's inefficient handling of the Kolkata rape and murder case, the Home Ministry has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court, accusing the Chief Minister of not cooperating with the women CISF staff in West Bengal. Republic Media Network has accessed an exclusive copy of the affidavit submitted by the Home Ministry to the top court.

The Centre moved the Supreme Court, alleging "unpardonable" non-cooperation by the West Bengal government in providing logistical support to the CISF, which has been tasked with securing RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, where a trainee doctor was raped and murdered.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs described the alleged non-cooperation of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government as "symptomatic of a systemic malaise" and sought a directive from the Supreme Court requiring West Bengal authorities to fully cooperate with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). The Centre further requested the apex court to consider initiating contempt proceedings against state government officials for "wilful non-compliance" with court orders if they fail to comply.

On August 20, the Supreme Court labeled the rape and murder case of the trainee doctor at the hospital as "horrific" and issued several directives, including the establishment of a 10-member National Task Force to develop a protocol for ensuring the safety and security of doctors and other healthcare professionals. The court also took serious note of mob violence at the hospital and allegations that Kolkata police fled the scene, ordering the deployment of CISF at the hospital to allow doctors to resume work.

In an application filed in the case initiated by the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Home Affairs noted that the plea concerns the deployment of CISF personnel at RG Kar Medical College, including the hostels where resident doctors reside, to ensure their safety. The application pointed out that the CISF personnel deployed at RG Kar Hospital face severe difficulties due to a lack of accommodation and basic security infrastructure. Currently, the troops are staying at CISF Unit SMP, Kolkata, despite the challenges faced by the accommodating unit.

The application further stated that the travel time from Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (SMP), Kolkata to the hospital takes an hour each way, making it difficult to effectively discharge duties and mobilize CISF troops promptly during emergencies. The Ministry of Home Affairs had raised this issue with the chief secretary of West Bengal in a letter dated September 2, requesting adequate logistical arrangements and security gadgets for the force.

The application stated that despite repeated requests, there has been no response from the state government to ensure adequate support for the CISF personnel deployed to secure RG Kar Medical Hospital, as ordered by the court. The application emphasized that such non-cooperation is unacceptable in a tense situation like the present one, and the safety of doctors, particularly women doctors, must be the state's top priority.

The application accused the West Bengal government of exhibiting a "systemic malaise" by not cooperating with central agencies operating under court orders, which it described as "wilful non-compliance" with court directives. The application argued that a duly elected state government is expected to act fairly, particularly regarding the security of its residents.

The application also claimed that the West Bengal government has deliberately created obstacles and jeopardized the larger solution-oriented approach adopted by the Supreme Court. It alleged that the state government is not making sufficient efforts to resolve the issue and is causing injustice to its residents.

Due to the state's "unexpected, unjustifiable, and unpardonable" actions, the applicant is compelled to approach the court, asserting that it would serve the interests of justice for the state government to cooperate with the CISF so that its personnel can perform their duties without inconvenience.

The application highlighted the lack of adequate accommodation, security gadgets, and transportation facilities, which are causing significant difficulties for the CISF personnel, particularly the female contingent.

On August 22, while hearing the matter, the Supreme Court sharply criticized the Kolkata police for the delay in registering the unnatural death of the woman doctor, who was raped and murdered at the hospital, calling the situation "extremely disturbing." The court questioned the sequence of events and the timing of procedural formalities.

A bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud is scheduled to hear the case on September 5.

The murder and alleged rape of the junior doctor inside a seminar hall at the state-run hospital have sparked nationwide protests. The doctor's body, bearing severe injury marks, was discovered in the seminar hall of the hospital's chest department on August 9. The Kolkata Police arrested a civic volunteer in connection with the case the following day. On August 13, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the investigation from the Kolkata Police to the CBI, which began its probe on August 14.