‘Law of ruler, not rule of law’: NHRC panel slams Mamata govt over Bengal post-poll violence | India News
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NEW DELHI: Making sharp observations about the post-poll violence in West Bengal in May, a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) panel said that the situation in the state is a manifestation of “law of ruler” instead of “rule of law”.
The observations were part of a report submitted to the Calcutta high court on July 13.
In its report, the NHRC panel has recommended a CBI probe into the “grievous offences like murder and rape” which allegedly took place during the post-poll violence and said the trial should be held outside the state.
The report strongly criticised the Mamata Banerjee-led state government for allegedly failing to stem the political violence that erupted after the Trinamool Congress’s victory in the assembly elections.
“The spatio-temporal expanse of violent incidents in Bengal reflect appalling apathy of the state government towards the plight of victims,” the panel said in its report.
It further observed the incidents represent a larger picture of organized violence by supporters of the ruling party in retribution against people who dared to support the other major party which lost the elections in the state.
The panel was referring to the BJP, which was the main challenger to the TMC in the run up to the elections.
The report observed that some organs or personnel of the state government remained mute spectators while others were apparently “complicit” in most of the violent incidents.
Mamata later hit out at the NHRC for “leaking” the report online and charged it with political vendetta.
“Instead of submitting the report in the court, they have (NHRC) leaked it. They should respect the court. If it is not a political vendetta, how can they leak the report? They are maligning the people of Bengal,” she said.
The committee, constituted by the NHRC on the order of the high court to probe alleged human rights violations during post-poll violence, had submitted five sets of report in separate sealed covers and was taken on record by the court.
(With inputs from PTI)
The observations were part of a report submitted to the Calcutta high court on July 13.
In its report, the NHRC panel has recommended a CBI probe into the “grievous offences like murder and rape” which allegedly took place during the post-poll violence and said the trial should be held outside the state.
The report strongly criticised the Mamata Banerjee-led state government for allegedly failing to stem the political violence that erupted after the Trinamool Congress’s victory in the assembly elections.
“The spatio-temporal expanse of violent incidents in Bengal reflect appalling apathy of the state government towards the plight of victims,” the panel said in its report.
It further observed the incidents represent a larger picture of organized violence by supporters of the ruling party in retribution against people who dared to support the other major party which lost the elections in the state.
The panel was referring to the BJP, which was the main challenger to the TMC in the run up to the elections.
The report observed that some organs or personnel of the state government remained mute spectators while others were apparently “complicit” in most of the violent incidents.
Mamata later hit out at the NHRC for “leaking” the report online and charged it with political vendetta.
“Instead of submitting the report in the court, they have (NHRC) leaked it. They should respect the court. If it is not a political vendetta, how can they leak the report? They are maligning the people of Bengal,” she said.
The committee, constituted by the NHRC on the order of the high court to probe alleged human rights violations during post-poll violence, had submitted five sets of report in separate sealed covers and was taken on record by the court.
(With inputs from PTI)
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