CBI probe, trial outside state: NHRC in its report to Calcutta HC over Bengal post-poll violence

The National Human Rights Commission India (NHRC) on Thursday recommended a CBI probe into alleged post-poll violence in West Bengal. In a strongly-worded report to five-judge bench of Calcutta High Court, the human rights body has also taken the Mamata Banerjee-state government to task.

“The spatio-temporal expanse of violent incidents in West Bengal reflects appalling apathy of the state govt towards the plight of victims,” the report said. 

“This was retributive violence by supporters of the ruling party against supporters of the main opposition party. It resulted in disruption of life & livelihood of thousands of people & their economic strangulation,” it added.

The NHRC in its report has also made the following recommendations – trial should be moved outside the state, a court-monitored SIT should be set up, there should be a witness protection scheme. Police reforms, monitoring committees, Bureaucracy reforms should also be introduced, the NHRC said.

The state had witnessed a number of incidents of violence since the results of the assembly election were declared and rivals Trinamool Congress and the BJP have traded charges for it.

At least six people were killed in post poll violence in different parts of the state including one in the city, police had said.

NHRC report leaked: Mamata

Crying political vendetta in the NHRC report, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that it is an attempt to malign the state’s people.

“Instead of submitting (NHRC) report in the court, they’ve leaked it. They should respect the court. If it is not a political vendetta, how can they leak the report? They are maligning people of Bengal.”

“PM Modi knows very well that there is no rule of law in UP. How many commissions has he sent there? So many incidents, from Hathras to Unnao, have taken place. Even journalists are not spared. They give a bad name to Bengal. Maximum violence was pre-poll,” she added.

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