Over the past two days, an ugly public spat has ensued between the chairpersons of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) in West Bengal.
Priyank Kanoongo, the chairperson of NCPCR, arrived in West Bengal to investigate incidents of violence — a case in Gazole, Malda, where a child was sexually assaulted on March 21, and one in Tiljala, Kolkata, where a seven-year old girl was killed after an alleged sexual assault.
On April 1, Mr. Kanoongo and Sudeshna Roy, the chairperson of WBCPCR, were seen targeting each other at Gazole. Allegations flew thick and fast in the presence of media persons, with both chairpersons accusing each other of interference and non-cooperation.
“The incident occurred ten days ago, if the State Commission wanted to conduct an inquiry they could have come earlier. Yesterday also they did the same at Tiljala and today they are doing the same,” Mr. Kanoongo said, upset about the presence of WBCPCR chairperson at Malda.
Ms. Roy, on her part, accused Mr. Kanoongo of “instigating their people against us”. “You cannot speak to me like this,” she said, addressing the NCPCR chairperson.
On March 31, there were similar schemes at Tiljala when the NCPCR representatives, including Mr. Kanoongo, visited the victim’s family. “On Friday, when we were speaking to the parents of the child, suddenly the chairperson of WBCPCR came and said there will be no investigation,” Mr. Kanoongo said.
Mr. Kanoongo also claimed that he was beaten up by police personnel at Tiljala police station. “Biswak Mukherjee (an officer at the Tiljila station) snatched and beat me up. Policemen were surreptitiously recording the investigation proceedings of NCPCR. They beat me up for protesting,” he narrated. On April 1, the police officer was shunted out of Tiljala Police station.
While Central investigation agencies and State agencies have been at loggerheads over the two cases, the public spat between the heads of quasi-judicial bodies is a new low in the political and administrative circles of West Bengal.
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari raked up the issue and tagged Governor C.V. Ananda Bose and Union Home Minister Amit Shah as he tweeted, ”The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights is a statutory body established under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005.@NCPCR_ Chairperson is beaten up inside Tiljala PS. That’s the Law & Order situation of WB Hon’ble @BengalGovernor&@HMOIndia.”
Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen said that allegations of assault on children are coming from all across the country and the BJP government is only targeting West Bengal in an attempt at “political vendetta”. So far, more than 150 central teams have been sent to the State, he added.
