State is in denial mode, says bench Calcutta HC asks Bengal govt to ensure treatment of victims of post-poll violence

Bench directs cops to register all cases, orders administration to provide ration to all

Calcutta High Court.: File picture

TT Bureau   |   Calcutta   |   02.07.21: The Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the Trinamul Congress-led Bengal government to ensure medical treatment and rations for those affected by post-poll violence in the state even if they did not have ration cards, while asking the police to register all cases of violence reported after the Assembly elections.

"The state is in denial mode regarding the violence," the court said.

In a stern order, the bench asked police to record the statements of those affected by the violence. The bench asked the government to ensure that ration is provided to everyone, including those who complained of their cards being snatched by goons. 

The court directed Bengal chief secretary HK Dwivedi to preserve all documents related to the post-poll violence, according to a report by hindustantimes.com.

"The state must respond to queries by NHRC. Chief Secretary must preserve all sensitive documents on post-poll violence," it said.

It directed the government to conduct a second autopsy of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker Abhijeet Sarkar at the Command Hospital in Calcutta. 

Taking note of the incidents of sexual violence on women and minors, the court sent a show-cause notice to a senior police officer for failing to assist a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) team that came to probe the allegations, ndtv.com reported.

A five-judge bench of the high court had on June 18 directed the chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission to constitute a committee to examine all cases about alleged human rights violations in incidents of post-poll violence in the state, which had on Wednesday submitted a report regarding it.

The Calcutta High Court's orders come a day after the Supreme Court agreed to hear a plea seeking direction to the Centre to impose President's Rule in Bengal in view of deteriorating law and order situation due to the post-poll violence which started on May 2, the day of Assembly election results.

The plea sought from the court directing the central government to exercise its power conferred by Article 355 and Article 356 keeping in view the deteriorating condition posing a threat to sovereignty and integrity of India.

It said that soon after the declaration of Assembly polls results on May 2, the TMC workers and supporters started creating chaos, unrest and setting the houses and properties of Hindus on fire, looting and plundered their belongings for the simple reason that they had supported BJP in assembly polls.

The plea said that in an attempt to create terror and disorder in the society at least 15 BJP workers/sympathisers/supporters have lost their lives and a number of them were seriously injured.

The government and administration remained silent spectators and no protection was provided to the victims by them. The government, officials and the administration and the police are supporting workers of TMC, due to which the life, liberty, prestige, dignity and modesty of women are being taken away as is evident from the fact that number of persons were harmed and mercilessly murdered and no steps were taken for their safety, the plea said.

It added that no appropriate action was taken against the culprits, due to which the life, liberty, dignity of the women and children are in peril and the future of Hindu residents is in jeopardy.

The top court is already hearing a batch of pleas related to post-poll violence in the state and seeking a probe by an independent agency into the alleged killing of BJP workers and sympathisers.