The Supreme Court's strong reaction to the violent mob taking seven judicial officers hostage in West Bengal's Malda district is justified.
The Supreme Court's strong response to the case of seven judicial officers being held hostage by a violent mob in West Bengal's Malda district is both justified and just. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant has issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Director General (Police), Malda District Magistrate and SSP of the West Bengal government, asking them to be present online during the next hearing on April 6 and also seeking their response on "their failure to implement the rule of law".
The apex court has also ordered the Election Commission of India to immediately hand over the case of the judicial officers being held hostage to the CBI or the National Investigation Agency (NIA) so that the real conspirators of the violent incidents in Malda district can be exposed and legal action can be initiated against them.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi, without naming any political party, condemned the tactics of the state (Trinamool Congress) government and made it clear that the process of SIR (Strong Rectification of Voter Lists) will continue till further orders. The bench asked the Election Commission to immediately make possible the deployment of central security forces to ensure the security of judicial officers hearing objections regarding names excluded from the voter lists during the SIR exercise.
This is perhaps the first time that the Supreme Court has expressed such displeasure against a state administration. It is worth mentioning that on Wednesday, a violent mob held seven judicial officers hostage in the Block Development Officer (BDO) office at Kaliachak in Malda district for 10 hours. Three women officers were also among the hostages. Despite the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court contacting the state authorities in this regard, when the administrative authorities or police officers did not try to release the hostages, the Chief Justice of the High Court brought the entire matter to the notice of the Chief Justice of India. After Chief Justice Surya Kant issued a warning at midnight, the state administration swung into action and the hostages were released. Even during the release, the pelting of stones on their vehicles shows that the police ignored the seriousness of the entire incident and did not take appropriate precautions.
Malda is a Muslim-majority district of West Bengal. 51.27 percent of its population is Muslim. The Hindu population is about 48 percent. It was once a Congress stronghold and A.B.A. Ghani Khan Chowdhury won the Lok Sabha elections from here five times in a row. Now it is considered a stronghold of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Due to complaints of a large number of Bangladeshis settling in this area, there were many obstacles in the revision of the voter lists and about one and a half lakh votes were also cut. The incidents of intimidation and intimidation of Election Commission staff during the hearing of objections against the cutting of votes (which is being conducted by judicial officers under the orders of the Supreme Court) have occurred the most in Malda.
That is why Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been accused of creating all the lawlessness and unrest on her own. That is why now the current stance of the Supreme Court is being seen by political circles as a serious political setback for Mamata Banerjee. It is not possible to speculate at this time whether the main opposition party - the Bharatiya Janata Party - will benefit from this setback or not.
However, Mamata Banerjee is adept at projecting a 'victim' image and garnering sympathy from voters. She has already succeeded in branding the Election Commission as 'villain' and 'biased'. Speculations have certainly started about what her stance will be towards the Supreme Court. However, what has happened in Malda is both condemnable and regrettable. Such incidents turn democracy into 'cronyism'. This situation should be avoided at all costs.
