A 7-member committee has been formed to investigate complaints of violence after the election results in West Bengal. Retired Justice Arun Mishra, chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, has constituted it on Monday on the orders of the Calcutta High Court.
The committee includes Atif Rashid, Vice-Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, Rajulben L Desai, member of the National Commission for Women, Pradeep Kumar Panja, Registrar, West Bengal State Human Rights Commission, Director General (Investigation), NHRC, DIG (Investigation) of NHRC Manzil Saini and West Bengal State. Raju Mukherjee, Member Secretary, Legal Services Authority.
This committee will investigate the complaints received so far by the Human Rights Commission and the complaints received in future also. It will also point out those officers and responsible people who were guilty of such offenses or who kept silence on them.
Governor said – it is not right to deny incidents of violence
State Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has been vocal on the West Bengal violence since the beginning. He said on Monday that elections were held in 4 states and one union territory, but why was West Bengal alone bloodied? So many heinous crimes became part of electoral violence. No arrests, no investigation, these are not good signs. I would request the state government to introspect.
He said that I am shocked and upset that even after 7 weeks, such a horrific situation is being denied. this is not right. Since independence, the post-election violence has never been seen so terrible, so barbaric and terrorist.
Dhankhar said that wherever I went in the state, I asked 3 questions. Why didn’t you go to the police? Has anyone come from the administration? Did any media person come? People said only one thing, if we had gone to police station as victim, we would have come out as criminal.
Politics heats up on the order of the court
Political statements also started coming after the High Court order on Bengal violence. Union Minister Smriti Irani said that this has instilled confidence in the people who were harassed, thrown out of their homes and put to death that they will get justice. A Chief Minister (Mamata Banerjee) is witnessing death sentence in the state because she did not vote for the Chief Minister.
At the same time, TMC MP Sukhendu Shekhar Roy said that the West Bengal government will investigate the order of the High Court. Will take further steps accordingly.
Violence took place after TMC’s victory
Political violence had started after the results of the West Bengal assembly elections. At many places, BJP offices were vandalized and arson. Some women were also accused of gang rape. Many people also died. The BJP had claimed that TMC workers were targeting its people.
Action started against former Chief Secretary
The Central Government has started action against Alpan Bandyopadhyay, former Chief Secretary of West Bengal. The Department of Personnel and Training has told Bandopadhyay that the central government has proposed heavy fines against him under the All India Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules.
The DoPT has asked Bandopadhyay to give a written statement in his defence, if he wants to be heard in person within 30 days. The ministry has also said that in case of no response from its side, a unilateral inquiry can be conducted against them.
Bandyopadhyay had arrived late in the meeting of Prime Minister Modi, who arrived in Bengal to take stock of the devastation caused by the storm. After this, the central government had called him from Bengal to Delhi. However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee did not send him to Delhi and made him his chief advisor.
