Unbecoming of Tripura govt to indulge in whataboutery, SC told

Appearing for the petitioner Ehtesham Hashmi, advocate Prashant Bhushan condemned the state government’s remarks that why such probes were not sought during violence in West Bengal and other states.

It is “totally unbecoming” of the Tripura government to indulge in “whataboutery” on the issue of alleged communal violence in Tripura last year, the petitioner seeking an independent probe into the matter has told Supreme Court.

Prashant Bhushan was referring to the affidavit filed by the state last week in response to Hashmi’s plea alleging complicity and inaction of the state police in it.

Appearing for the petitioner Ehtesham Hashmi, advocate Prashant Bhushan condemned the state government’s remarks that why such probes were not sought during violence in West Bengal and other states.

“For a state to indulge in whataboutery is so unbecoming. We can expect it from news channels. This doesn’t show the state in good light,” Bhushan told a bench comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and Dinesh Maheshwari.

Bhushan was referring to the affidavit filed by the state last week in response to Hashmi’s plea alleging complicity and inaction of the state police in it.

“It is very surprising to note that just few months back, a series of pre-poll and post-poll violence took place in West Bengal which were definitely wider in geography and very severe in magnitude. The so-called public spirit of the petitioners did not move few months back in a larger scale of communal violence and suddenly their public spirit aroused due to some instances in a small state like Tripura,” the state said.

To this, Bhushan told the bench: “This reply does not state why the government did not carry out any investigation.”

The top court bench allowed Bhushan to file his reply to the state’s affidavit by Thursday and agreed to hear the matter on Monday.