The West Bengal government has submitted an affidavit in line with the Calcutta High Court order on July 22 to counter the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) report that the entire state machinery was responsible for the post-poll violence. The government alleged that “concerted efforts were being made to discredit a democratically elected government”. The government emphasised that it had taken all measures to prevent any violence after the assembly election results were announced on May 2.
In the 95-page affidavit, Bengal home secretary BP Gopalika said the NHRC report was fraught with “inherent bias against the ruling dispensation” and therefore it gave a “negative report against the state”.
The state government also alleged that the NHRC committee was in close association with the BJP and dubbed the investigation as a “witch hunt” against the state. It also questioned the inclusion of BJP leader Atif Rashid in the panel.
Accusing the NHRC committee of violating the Protection of Human Rights Act, the government said “the report also makes adverse remarks against other members of the public… it will be apparent from the report that the committee has failed to comply with Section 16 of the PHR Act, in as much as it has not given any opportunity of hearing to the aforesaid persons.”
The NHRC committee on July 12 submitted a 50-page report in the Calcutta High Court saying at least 1,934 complaints were registered between May 2 and June 20, which included 29 murder charges, 12 relating to sexual assault and rape and around 930 complaints of arson and loot. The NHRC also said the situation in the state was a “manifestation of law of ruler instead of rule of law.” The government denied that thousands of its citizens were subjected to murder or rape or displacement or intimidation in the last couple of months.
The state even disavowed the charge that the victims of the post-poll violence were “scared of police” as claimed by a member of the NHRC.
The government also stated the purported public interest litigations (PIL) was “politically motivated” and “do not depict the true and correct picture of the state of affairs in West Bengal”.
Earlier this month, the five-member bench of the Calcutta HC directed the state government to treat all complaints regarding the post-poll violence as FIR and provide ration and treatment to those injured. The High Court had constituted a committee of members nominated by NHRC, SHRC and SLSA to coordinate rehabilitation of the displaced persons of Entally constituency.
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