An order of the Calcutta High Court on the post-poll violence in Bengal has now been challenged by the Mamta Banerjee led West Bengal government. A five-judge bench of the high court including the acting Chief Justice Rajesh Binda had earlier ordered the West Bengal Police to register the complaints of victims of the violence. In addition, the state government was asked by the court to provide medical care and ration to the victims, including those who didn’t have their ration cards.
It may be recalled that extensive political violence had broken down in the state of West Bengal after the assembly election results were declared on May 2. The major parties of the state- TMC and the BJP both accused each other of instigating violence leading to rape, murder and property destruction of party workers.
Acting on the post-poll violence and allegations by the victims of their complaints not being registered, the Calcutta High Court stepped in. The court ordered the National Human Rights Commission(NHRC) to form a committee to investigate the matter. News agency ANI reported that the NHRC committee probing the alleged human rights violations was attacked in Jadavpur on June 29.
The NHRC Committee submitted an interim report last week which formed the basis for the court’s order calling on the police to register all complaints. The high court has also issued a notice to the DM and the police superintendent of Jadavpur, demanding the reason why contempt of court case should not be lodged against them. The case is expected to be heard this week.
