Team News Riveting
The National Human Rights Commission said the situation prevailing in West Bengal was a manifestation of “law of the ruler” and not “rule of law”, in a damning indictment of the Mamata Banerjee government.
In its report submitted to the Calcutta High Court on July 13, the commission had recommended CBI investigation in cases of rape and murder.
The BJP Friday cited the NHRC report on alleged post-poll violence in West Bengal to attack Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress, alleging the state was ruled not as per the Constitution but at the whims of an individual.
Addressing a press conference here Friday, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia launched a scathing attack on the TMC and Banerjee and said the NHRC received 1,979 complaints of post-poll violence. He claimed 15,000 people were tortured in such incidents while as many as 8,000 people had committed the crime but no action was taken.
“The way violence took place in West Bengal after May 2 (the result day) and innocent civilians were killed and women molested, it seems that West Bengal today is not ruled as per the Constitution but at the whims of an individual. Banerjee closed her eyes and gave a free hand to TMC goons, Bhatia said.
The BJP spokesperson said the state police did not fulfil its responsibility while TMC workers were “on the rampage, creating a ruckus in the state”.
The NHRC panel, which was constituted following an order by a five-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court, also said the cases of alleged rape and murder should be tried outside the state.
After the report was submitted Tuesday, the court had directed that its soft copies along with annexures be supplied to the counsel for the petitioners, the Election Commission, and the Additional Solicitor General of India.
Mamata Banerjee made an attempt to minimise the impact by alleging that the report was leaked to the media by the rights panel, which the NHRC denied. She said the NHRC team did not consult the state government or take its version on the issue.
