Facing widespread criticism on the law and order, particularly after the violence at Birbhum where nine people were burnt to death, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday pulled up police officers asking them why the State government should suffer a loss of face because of their negligence.
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“The Rampurhat incident would not have happened had the police acted on time. Why did not Additional SP and other officers reach the spot on time. If there is an incident, they should have anticipated retaliation. Because of your negligence, the State government is facing loss of face,” Ms. Banerjee told SP Birbhum Nagendra Nath Tripathi at an administrative meeting during the day.
In the violence at Bogtui village in Birbhum on March 21, nine people were set on fire in retaliatory violence after the murder of a local Trinamool Congress leader. The Calcutta High Court had directed the CBI to probe the violence and the murder of the TMC leader.
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The Chief Minister also came down on SP Ranaghat, under whose jurisdiction the Hanskhali sexual assault had occurred. The rape and the subsequent death of the 14– year–old girl in the first week of April had sent shockwaves when the father of the girl said the alleged perpetrators had threatened the family not to take the girl to hospital and hurriedly burnt the body. The prime accused in the case is the son of a local Trinamool Congress leader.
“How did the incident at Hanskhali occur. Why were you people not aware.. Why should the government suffer for your negligence,” Ms. Banerjee asked SP Ranaghat Sayak Das. The Calcutta High Court had directed the CBI to probe the incident.
During the 90–minute meeting which was live telecast through the social media handle of the Chief Minister on several occasions, she directed officials not to consider the “political colour” of the accused. “Why will we take responsibility if anyone alleges corruption. The party has not asked them to do so,” she said.
Reacting to the Chief Minister’s remarks, State BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said the police are not independent and are directly administered by her as she holds the Home Department.
“At Bogtui village, the Chief Minister herself asked why did Anarul [local TMC leader Anaraul Hossain] not send police earlier? This means that the TMC is police and the police are the TMC. What the Chief Minister is doing is trying to absolve her from the responsibility of these incidents by blaming the police,” Mr. Bhattacharya said.