The report stated that the West Bengal Police were complicit in the violent acts is more evident from the fact that after central forces were deployed no violence took place on the occasion of the Hanuman Jayanti. The Committee has sought appropriate police action in the matter by filing of the FIR’s against the culprits behind the riots, to achieve the ends of justice of the victims. Besides, the Committee has also sought that the investigation of riots be handed over to the National Investigation Authority to ensure that the investigations are being carried out in a fair, impartial and independent manner; protection be provided to persecuted and fearful victims so that their life can return to normalcy, including withdrawal of false cases against innocent persons.
The high-level fact-finding committee appointed to investigate the Ram Navami violence in the state of West Bengal has submitted its report. According to the committee, the violence that took place in the Eastern state on Ram Navami has been termed “pre-planned, orchestrated and instigated.
Fact Finding Committee that the Central govt had appointed comprised of Justice L. Narsimha Reddy (Retd.) – Former Chief Justice of Patna High Court, Raj Pal Singh – Former I.P.S. officer Haryana Cadre, Dr. Charu Wali Khanna – Advocate & Former member National Commission for Women, O.P. Vyas – Advocate & Former Joint Registrar Law NHRC, Sanjeev Nayak – Senior Journalist & Bhavna Bajaj – Advocate.
The Committee arrived in the State of West Bengal to ascertain facts and grievances of victims of the unfortunate incident which took place on the auspicious occasion of ‘Ram Navami’ on Mar 30.
The Committee is of the view that the riots which erupted on the occasion of ‘Ram Navami’ on Mar 30, and continued in its aftermath, were pre planned, orchestrated, and instigated. According to the Committee’s statement, they inferred that the state police were deliberately functioning in a partisan manner by choosing not to provide security or take action against rioters to prevent violence, apparently under political compulsions which resulted in unparalleled violence.
The report has claimed CM Mamata Banerjee’s inflammatory speech as the trigger for the violence. West Bengal CM continued to make inflammatory public comments in a prejudicial and biased manner by pre-judging the reasons for violence without due investigation, claimed the report. The police have also not cooperated with the victims. On the contrary, their voice had been suppressed under the threat of falsely implicating them in cases. The committee sought permission from the Commissioner of Police Howrah District and the Commissioner of Police Chandan Nagar to visit the riot- affected areas around Rishra and Shibpur Police Station, which was arbitrarily rejected on the flimsy and baseless grounds.
The committee further proposed that the state police may accompany the committee while proceeding towards Howrah, and even volunteered to move in state police vehicles to assuage any concern by them. However, the officers were prejudiced to not co-operate in any manner and appeared to only intended to obstruct the working of the committee and also obstruct the lawful free movement of members of the committee. The Committee offered to the victims that they are free to meet the committee at their convenience. After which 24 victims of the communal riots volunteered to meet the committee in a private and cordial interaction.
The report also exposed that the victims feared retribution in case their identities became public through media or other sources. The committee further stated that heavy stones were piled upon the roof top of the buildings and at the moment procession was passing through heavy stones were pelted on the procession as well on other members present, which they suspected had been pre-planned since hideouts were arranged from buildings on the opposite side, with the police’s failure to act in any manner. It was informed separately that the state police lathi charged and tear gassed residents inside their gated societies while not acting at all against street rioters. Some victims complained that the state police played a concerted role, and submitted that in another incident the police outside their buildings can be seen dispersing and immediately thereafter in a few minutes a violent mob running a mock including entering the gated areas to cause damage.
The report stated that the West Bengal Police were complicit in the violent acts is more evident from the fact that after central forces were deployed no violence took place on the occasion of the Hanuman Jayanti. The Committee has sought appropriate police action in the matter by filing of the FIR’s against the culprits behind the riots, to achieve the ends of justice of the victims. Besides, the Committee has also sought that the investigation of riots be handed over to the National Investigation Authority to ensure that the investigations are being carried out in a fair, impartial and independent manner; protection be provided to persecuted and fearful victims so that their life can return to normalcy, including withdrawal of false cases against innocent persons.
The report states that deployment of Central Forces may be extended as a confidence building measure for the victims who have lost faith in the state police. Along with this press release a video is being released which shows how the events transpired out and how particular members holding high ranks in civil society and in government was the trigger of such riots on Ram Navami.
