West Bengal Post-poll Violence: BJP Says Calcutta HC Verdict a Victory for ‘Oppressed mothers, Sisters’

The BJP on Thursday hailed Calcutta High Court’s decision of handing over the probe in West Bengal’s post-poll violence to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in cases of murder and crimes against women. The court handed over the remaining to a Special Investigation Team (SIT), both of which will be court-monitored.

The saffron party termed it a “victory for all the mothers and sisters”.

“The High Court verdict highlighted the politicisation, inaction and failure of the state’s police and administration. This verdict is a victory for all the mothers and sisters who have been oppressed and deprived in Bengal,” read a tweet from the official handle of Bengal BJP.

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari termed the judgment “historic” and tweeted on Thursday afternoon, “WB rulers made Bengal a laboratory of political violence. Today’s historical judgment by Hon’ble 5 Member Bench of Calcutta High Court indicts them for failing to protect human rights. The BJP definitely will take up this issue to other states like Tripura and Assam where TMC is trying to build up their organisation. BJP sources say they are going to campaign with this weapon that they have got.”

“All cases as per report of NHRC committee where allegations are about murder of person or crime against women regarding rape or attempt to rape shall be referred to CBI for investigation,” the Court ordered.

Petitioner Priyanka Tibrewal said that “people went to the high court as they did not have faith and justice has been done.”

State should hand over all records of cases to CBI for such investigation, the Court said. “It shall be a court monitored investigation and any obstruction in the course of investigation by anyone shall be viewed seriously,” the court added.

The court also referred all other cases cited by NHRC committee to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for probe. Three IPS officers — Suman Bala Sahoo, Soumen Mitra and Ranbir Kumar — will be part of the SIT.

The TMC is likely to take up the issue in a different format. Party insiders told News18 that the violence which is shown did not take place after Mamata Banerjee took oath as the Chief Minister.

“There was no violence after Banerjee took oath. The day she took over no violence took place. We will not say anything on the honourable court’s judgment but we have questions on NHRC report. We will not accept that there has been post-poll violence,” said TMC leader Saugata Roy.

The TMC will project this thing in another way as, according to sources in the party, it feels that the CBI has always been used against Opposition and this time, too, this theory will be placed.

“The TMC is not worried … we are not saying anything about the judgment but the NHRC report was politically motivated. What is happening in Tripura? Their leaders are saying ‘kill TMC leaders in Talibani style’. Where is the Human Right Commission? You have given false allegations,” said TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh.

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