WB govt gets vocal over BJP's alleged connection with NHRC panel members

West Bengal government has filed an affidavit at Calcutta High Court alleging that NHRC members are either members of BJP or have some connections with the party. The state government has alleged that the NHRC team lacks credibility and their post-poll investigations are politically motivated.

Kolkata: Following a directive from the Calcutta High Court, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) submitted a report to the high court after reviewing the law and order situation in West Bengal in the backdrop of severe allegations of post-poll violence. NHRC submitted its report to the high court on July 15 where it recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe to further review the situation and ensure proper compensation to the victims of post-poll violence.

The five-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court directed the state government to submit its observation in affidavit form by July 26. The state government submitted that affidavit on July 25, where the state government directly alleged that the members of the said NHRC team either have connections with BJP or are associated with the saffron camp. The state government contended that only individuals who are either members of BJP in other states or are having some connections with BJP were appointed as members of the NHRC team.

As a result, the state government has claimed, such a report from the NHRC lacks credibility. It pointed out that Rajib Jain, besides acting as the Intelligence Bureau (IB) director; was also in charge of the Gujarat Police intelligence branch from 2005 to 2008, when the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi was the chief minister of that state.

Similarly, the state government has claimed that Atif Rashid was the President of BJP's students' wing, ABVP and also contested in the Delhi Municipal Corporation Election in 2021 for BJP. Similarly, Rajelben Deshai was associated with the women’' wing of BJP in Gujarat. West Bengal government contends that Rashid, as a member of the said NHRC team, had made several untrue statements to the media about the state's law & order situation. According to the state government, Rashid even went to the extent of alleging that Trinamool Congress has given stone-pelting training to their female members.

The state government claimed that although there had been stray incidents of post-poll violence in the state immediately after the results were declared, it receded substantially since May 5. Still, according to the state government, NHRC has made untrue claims about the law and order situation in the state in its report. It also said that NHRC has tried to portray that people are scared to speak and thus created a negative picture about the police. On the contrary, the state government has claimed that the police have accepted several complaints and taken action against the offenders. According to it, those who were initially forced to stay away from their residence were returned safely later and are currently living there peacefully.

The state government has also questioned the authority of NHRC in suggesting CBI enquiry and setting up a court outside the state to further review the situation. According to the state government, such a suggestion from NHRC will result in further harassment for the victims and hence the report by the commission was politically motivated. It also rubbished the allegations of the NHRC that the police was inactive in protecting the victims. According to the state government, the NHRC report is full of errors and the state government in its counter-report has highlighted the actions taken by police.

According to the state government, the NHRC report is baseless. It alleged that the NHRC members visited the residences of BJP activists and prepared the report based on their statements only. According to the state government, the NHRC team members neither visited the residences of victims associated with other political parties nor interacted with them. Hence the NHRC team has acted as a member of BJP, the state government concluded.