Not a single special CBI court in Bengal: Shah
Amit Shah criticized West Bengal for not establishing special CBI courts, leading to pending cases, while TMC's Gokhale questioned the Union's interference.
New Delhi Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the West Bengal government has not set up even a single special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) due to which the cases are pending trial.
Responding to Trinamool Congress (TMC) lawmaker Saket Gokhale’s remarks in Rajya Sabha that among 6,900 corruption cases filed by CBI in West Bengal, there were no convictions till date, Shah said, “CBI cases that he (Gokhale) is referring to were registered on the directions of the Supreme Court and high court. These were cases related to poll violence in West Bengal. All of them were not corruption cases.”
He added: “The poll violence cases pertain to murders in polling booths, crimes against women. Since there was no action by the police, the victims had to approach the court. It was on the court’s directions that the cases were filed. And the cases have not reached its logical conclusion because the Bengal government has not set up even a single special CBI court.”
Gokhale, who had initiated the discussion in the Rajya Sabha, also said that the Union government has enhanced the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) to 50km in Opposition-ruled states like West Bengal and Punjab while it has been curtailed in BJP-ruled Gujarat.
“The role of the home ministry is confined to internal security, control of India’s borders, and disaster management. Their job is not to interfere with the law and order of the state. Inside the border, it should be the job of the state police. By infringing on the power of the state, you have given BSF its power,” Gokhale said.
“India is a union of states, all of which constitute the republic,” Gokhale said, adding, “However, the home ministry today feels that the Union government is the sole representative of the republic and states do not mean anything.”
“Under the previous governments, the Supreme Court has said that they are a caged parrot. Since the BJP claims to be a party with a difference, we thought things would change. However, nothing has changed in 11 years,” the TMC leader said.
Responding to his remarks, Shah said that CBI and other agencies Gokhale was referring to do not come under the purview of MHA. “If you want to widen the scope of discussion then allow me as well to reply in that fashion. I will reply to every charge,” he said addressing the Chair.
Shah is likely to reply on the discussion when the Rajya Sabha proceedings resumes on Thursday.
