KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Monday observed that the recent Ram Navami violence in Howrah’s Shibpur and Dalkhola in North Dinajpur was on the face of it pre-planned. It castigated the state government for complete intelligence failure.
Responding to a petition filed by the leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari seeking an NIA probe, the court indicated it could order a central agency to do so. A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice T S Sivagnaman and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya made the observations but reserved their order.
“Internet suspension usually takes place when there has been an external danger or infiltration etc. But for a religious procession, we don’t understand why. Sudden violence is when people are walking and there is an altercation etc. But your (state’s) prima facie show these (violence) were pre-planned. There are allegations of stones being hurled from rooftops. Obviously, it is not possible for anyone to take stones up to the rooftop within 10 to 15 minutes,’’ Chief Justice Sivagnaman said.
The bench asked the state government to explain who benefited and who was affected by the violence. “The problem is two-fold. One, there is tension between the two groups. The other is a third group taking advantage of enmity between the two groups. This needs to be probed. We believe a central agency can probe this aspect better,’’ Chief Justice Siivagnaman said.
Advocate General S N Mukjerjee claimed the state police was properly investigating the case. “The participants of the procession were armed with lathis, swords, etc, which they were not allowed to carry. The other side was also armed with weapons,” he said.
Didi Hits out at BJP over ram navami riots
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the BJP, saying its members were part of the Ram Navami processions. “Why arms were part of a religious procession? Many were brought from outside,’’ she alleged. The CM also rapped an NGO that send a fact-finding team to probe the riots