Deepali Kalia-
Supreme Court Bench comprising of Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Vineet Saran issued a notice in a plea that sought a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the post-poll violence that had erupted in West Bengal.
The Apex Court sought a reply from the Union of India, the Election Commission of India and the State of West Bengal.
The plea seeking the probe has been filed by Ranjana Agnihotri and claims that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers and their supporters following the declaration of legislative assembly results on May 2, 2021, had created utter chaos and targeted Hindus.
The plea stated that the TMC workers and their supporters had burned houses and properties as well as looted belongings of Hindus solely for the reason that they had supported the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the assembly elections.
The plea contended that throughout the chaos which had led to several being mercilessly attacked and slaughtered, the government, the officials, the police had all remained silent spectators.
As women and girls were robbed of their dignity and modesty by being raped and assaulted, the administration took no action, the plea added.
The plea argued that the future of Hindus in the State, therefore, hung in the air as no appropriate action against the culprits has been taken.
Even though Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal was also made a party respondent by the petitioner, no notice was sent to her by the Apex Court.
The plea has sought directions to the Centre and State to give compensation to the victims of the violence and their families.
Direction to the Centre and State for rehabilitation of victims who have migrated to other places has also been sought by the plea.
The petitioner asks the Court to direct the Centre and State to take necessary steps to protect the life, liberty, dignity of Hindus guaranteed under Article 14, 21, and 25 of the Constitution of India.
The directions to the Centre about the deployment of armed forces/paramilitary forces for helping the authorities and to exercise its powers under Article 355 & 365 given the volatile situation have also been sought by the plea.