West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC) has initiated an investigation into the alleged communal violence at Dhulagarh in Howrah district “to ascertain the real state of affairs”.
The investigation will be conducted by the Commission’s own investigating wing, headed by an officer of the rank of Additional Director General of Police and Inspector General of Police.
A specific complaint, along with a CD, was submitted before the Commission on December 23 last year. The complaint alleged of “communal violence, arson and rioting for almost 24 hours on 13th and 14th December, 2016 in and around Dhulagarh, P.S Sankrail, Howrah…” after an “alleged fatwa”.
The Commission, in its order, accessed by The Hindu , however, did not venture into the reasons that triggered the developments.
“The alleged fatwa issued by the Imam appears to be in retaliation of indecent remarks made by a member of a political party against the Chief Minister of the State. We do not think fit to go into this matter,” the WBHRC observed.
The Commission, however, took note of the “large-scale violence”.
“We, however, find that there has been large-scale violence resulting in loss of property,” the order, signed by Chairperson Justice (Retd) Girish Chandra Gupta and members Naparajit Mukherjee and M. S. Dwivedy of the WBHRC, said.
On compensation
The Commission, citing newspaper reports, referred that “the State has already paid compensation of ₹35,000 per family to some of the victims of such violence.”
“We are prima facie of the opinion that the amount of compensation paid by the State may not have been deserved by some and may have been inadequate to some of them,” the WBHRC order said.
The ruling Trinamool Congress government has so far maintained silence over the Dhulagarh violence. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had described the incidents as “a local problem” and “not a communal problem”.
