NHRC teams reach Bengal to probe post-poll violence, two regions on radar

On June 21, the Calcutta high court’s five-judge bench headed by acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal dismissed a petition by the West Bengal government seeking recall of the June 18 order that asked the NHRC to probe allegations of human rights violation during alleged violence after the recent assembly polls.

A team constituted by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) visited a part of North 24 Parganas in south Bengal on Wednesday to probe allegations of post-poll violence while a second team reached north Bengal in the afternoon. Police officers aware of the development said the NHRC teams, which are part of a committee, will be touring parts of north and south Bengal over the next few days.

Violence erupted in a few districts of Bengal after the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) swept the state elections on May 2, bringing the law and order situation in the state into sharp focus. (PTI PHOTO.)

There are seven people in the committee that includes a member of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission and a member of the West Bengal State Legal Services Authority.

On June 21, the Calcutta high court’s five-judge bench headed by acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal dismissed a petition by the West Bengal government seeking recall of the June 18 order that asked the NHRC to probe allegations of human rights violation during alleged violence after the recent assembly polls.

The NHRC was asked to submit its report before the court by June 30, the next date of hearing.

Hours later, the 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 high court, which heard several petitions on the violence that erupted after the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) won the state elections, ordered on June 18 that the NHRC has to constitute the committee. The state government rushed to the high court the following day with a review petition, requesting the five judges to recall their order.

The judges heard out the state government on Monday but were not convinced. The bench made a pointed reference to complaints of police inaction and observed that the conduct of the state did not inspire the confidence of the court.

The court also pointed out that the NHRC had received 541 complaints while the state human rights commission did not receive a single one.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has mounted a relentless campaign against the Mamata Banerjee government, alleging that its supporters are being targeted. The BJP has alleged that more than 30 people have been murdered and women have been raped and molested as well for supporting the saffron camp.