Shashwati Chowdhury
Published on: June 14, 2022 at 17:00 IST
The Calcutta High Court said on Monday that if the West Bengal government is unable to control the violence that has erupted in the state as a result of the recent row over BJP spokesperson remarks against Prophet Muhammad, the state government should call in central forces.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj further asked the State to collect video footage of violent situations so that the perpetrators can be identified and appropriate action taken against them.
“In case, the State Police is unable to control the situation at any place then State authorities will take immediate steps to call the central forces. Concerned State authorities will also collect the video footage of the incident so that the miscreants can be identified and appropriate action can be taken against them,” the Court directed.
The Advocate General should also make the State’s stance clear on the issue of compensating persons who have lost property in the untoward incidents, according to the Court.
The Court was hearing a slew of pleas from different people seeking different reliefs. According to a plea made by Niladri Saha, the police stood by and watched while BJP party offices were set on fire. As a result, the plea requested the deployment of military or central paramilitary troops to maintain control over the situation.
Another petition requested that each and every person responsible for the roadblocking of the National Highway in the Howrah Ankurhati area on June 9, 2022 be identified, FIR be filed against them, and they be charged with high penalties for causing public property destruction.
Advocate General SN Mookherjee, representing the State of West Bengal, told the Court that the incident occurred as a result of two people’s unfortunate remarks, and that similar protests are taking place in other states such as Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telengana, and Jharkhand.