Ram Navami Violence: LoP Suvendu Adhikari Moves Calcutta High Court Seeking NIA & CBI Probe, Deployment Of Central Forces

West Bengal Leader of Opposition and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari today moved the Calcutta High Court with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea seeking a probe by NIA and CBI into the incidents of violence which took place in the state during the Ram Navami procession. 

The Plea by Adhikary also seeks deployment of the Central Armed Forces in the violence-affected districts of the state (Howrah and Uttar Dinajpur) so as to prevent any untoward incident. The plea is likely to come up for hearing before the Acting Chief Justice's bench on Monday, April 3.

The plea states that as per the trend, which has been prevailing in the State of West Bengal, this year as well, the Ram Navmi celebrations were marred by violence due to the communal flagrations by anti-social elements perpetrated upon the peaceful participants of Ram Navami Processions at Howrah and Dalkhola (a town in the district of Uttar Dinajpur).

The plea submits that on March 30, when the Shobha Yatra for Ram Navami, which was proceeding peacefully from Howrah Kazipara to Howrah Maidan, reached near Chara and PM Bustee, a war broke out at the instance of Anti-social elements, who despite due police permission granted to the organizers to conduct the said Shobha Yatra, were prepared in a premeditated manner to attack the procession.

"Although, attack by the Anti-social elements on Ram Navami processions is a regular affair every year, however, the attack this year had crossed all limits of brutality. Severe stone pelting started from the roofs upon the participants of the Shobha Yatra in presence of the police and there is no doubt that it was a preplanned organized attack upon the rally by the local Anti-social elements of the area," the plea submits.

It has further been stated in the plea that police remained a mute spectator to the violence perpetrated by the anti-social elements who pelted stones and threw petrol and alcohol bombs which caused injuries to the people who were part of the Shobha yatra.

Calling the attack to be state-sponsored, the plea avers that there has been a complete deterioration of the law and order situation in the state of Bengal and that the state government has failed to protect its citizens.

The plea adds that this pre-planned attack had the motive to prevent the Hindus from celebrating their festival and that the incidents of violence indicate a larger conspiracy.

Against this backdrop, the PIL plea by Adhikary prays that an impartial investigation into the larger conspiracy be conducted at the hands of CBI so as to figure out the masterminds behind such attacks.

It has been further submitted that as per the mandate of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, since unlawful activities have been carried out, hence the investigation is required to be done by the NIA.