West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday expressed serious reservations over a BJP delegation submitting a report to party president J. P. Nadda on the Rampurhat massacre.
She said interference by a party at this stage would mean misleading and distorting the investigation and people would lose confidence in the probe.
Nine killed
Nine people lost their lives when several houses were set on fire at Bogtui village in Rampurhat block in Birbhum district on March 21. The violence was a retaliation to the murder of Trinamool Congress deputy pradhan Bhadu Sheikh hours ago the same evening. On March 25, the Calcutta High Court directed a CBI probe into the violence.
“I condemn this type of attitude. The government must see [take note], when any incident happens anywhere in the world, when investigation is on, there should be any interference from party side or any side,” she stated.
The Chief Minister, who is visiting Darjeeling district, called for a free and fair investigation into the violence. “Investigation must be free and fair. Party interference at this moment absolutely means misuse and abuse of power. This misuse of power will mislead the investigation, distort the investigation and people will lose confidence about the investigation,” she observed.
‘Nadda expressed concern’
West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said a fact-finding report by a BJP delegation was submitted to party national president J .P Nadda. “He [Mr. Nadda] expressed concern at how such a massacre can take place and how the police play such an irresponsible role.” The BJP committee had highlighted the law and order situation and sought Central intervention in the State, he added.
Along with Mr. Majumdar, former Uttar Pradesh DGP Brij Lal, Mumbai ex-police commissioner Satya Pal Singh and retired IPS officer Bharati Ghosh were part of the committee of the BJP that visited the village and submitted the report to Mr. Nadda during the day.
After the CBI probe in the Rampurhat violence, the Trinamool Congress leadership, including the Chief Minister, had said that “if the CBI, at the instance of the BJP, makes an effort to indulge in politics of vendetta, there will be protests and mass agitation”. On Wednesday Ms. Banerjee accused the BJP of already targeting TMC Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal. She alleged that they wanted him arrested. “This is very unfair, people are not getting justice and forcefully they want to evict all political parties,” she said.
At Bogtui, some villagers who had fled the village after violence returned to their homes under police protection. Three more persons have been arrested in connection with the murder of Bhadu Sheikh.
