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NHRC sets up panel to probe post-poll violence after HC rejects Bengal plea
The Calcutta high court made a pointed reference to complaints of police inaction in West Bengal during the post-poll violence and observed that the conduct of the state did not inspire their confidence.
Kolkata: Hours after the Calcutta high court dismissed a petition by the West Bengal government on Monday, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) constituted a seven-member panel to “enquire into complaints of post-poll violence in West Bengal” and told the panel to identify people who were prima facie responsible for the violence and the officers who maintained a “calculated silence”.
The committee will be led by Rajiv Jain, the former Intelligence Bureau chief who assumed charge as NHRC member on June 2, a statement by the human rights body said about the panel that has been set up on the orders of the high court’s five-judge bench led by acting chief justice Rajesh Bindal.
The high court, which has been hearing a bunch of petitions on the violence that erupted after the ruling Trinamool Congress’ third straight win in the state elections, ordered the NHRC to constitute the committee on Friday. The West Bengal government rushed to the high court the following day with a review petition, requesting the five judges to recall their order.
On Monday, the judges heard out the state government but weren’t convinced. The bench, which told the West Bengal government that it could give its action taken report on the complaints received by the NHRC, made a pointed reference to complaints of police inaction and observed that the conduct of the state did not inspire confidence of the court.
The court also pointed out how the NHRC had received 541 complaints in contrast to the state’s human rights commission, which hasn’t received a single one.
The NHRC committee headed by Rajiv Jain also comprises National Commission for Minorities vice chairman Atif Rasheed, National Commission for Women member Rajulben L Desai, NHRC’s (director) investigation Santosh Mehra and DIG (investigation) Manzil Saini, West Bengal Human Rights Commission registrar Pradip Kumar Panja and the West Bengal State Legal Services Authority Member Secretary Raju Mukherjee.
The BJP, which has mounted a relentless campaign against the Mamata Banerjee government over the violence that allegedly targeted supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party after the May 2 verdict, called Monday’s ruling a “tight slap”.
“Rape, murder, arson, every heinous crime took place and the state government denied it. Bengal’s politics of violence is established today. This is a tight slap on the face of the @MamataOfficial and the @AITCofficial govt,” tweeted Ritesh Tiwari, BJP state vice-president.
TMC Rajya Sabha member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy refused to comment. “We will not comment on the court’s decision. The government will examine it and take action,” he said.
In proceedings before the high court and the Supreme Court – the top court is hearing a plea for compensation for the victims - the Bengal government has insisted that the government was able to control the violence that broke out before Banerjee was sworn-in on May 3. Victims of the post-poll violence, however, told the top court last week that they were still facing a “hostile attitude”.
