NHRC asks West Bengal Government to clarify alleged statements made by West Bengal CM regarding Human Rights
The National Human Rights Commission today has asked the Government of West Bengal to verify and confirm the authenticity of certain statements reported by the media and attributed to the Chief Minister of West Bengal. These statements are in the context of Human Rights and Human Rights Commissions.
The matter was taken up by the Commission on the basis of several media reports and a letter of the Union Home Minister to the Commission dated 8 January 2001, annexing thereto a copy of a letter from the Union Railway Minister to the Home Minister dated 26 December 2000. The letter had alleged that the Chief Minister of West Bengal had directed the State Police to use arms against criminals and kill them without bothering about human rights and the Human Rights Commissions.
Earlier, the Commission had taken cognizance of the recent atrocities in West Bengal and had issued notice to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, West Bengal. Their reply is still awaited. Both these matters relate substantially to allegations of large-scale human rights violation in the State.
According to media reports, the Chief Minister, who is also the Home and the Police Minister, while inaugurating two police stations on Christmas day urged the police to `use those guns that the Government has given you’, and added, `shoot if you need to and do not worry about human rights. I’ll take care of that.’ The Union Railway Minister’s letter to the Union Home Minister also included press clippings in which the Chief Minister is have quoted to have said that the police officers need not bother about Human Rights Commission since "he could handle the Human Rights Commissions."
Since these were extracts from reports appearing in reputed newspapers and journals having large circulation in the country and abroad, the Commission felt that it was not possible to ignore these reports and the need was to verify the authenticity of the statements attributed to the Chief Minister. The significance had increased with reports of increasing police atrocities, which, it was suggested in some media reports, were at least encouraged by such an exhortation.
However, inspite of the credibility prima-facie attaching to the source of these reports, the Commission felt that it would like to form its opinion only after verification and confirmation of their authenticity directly from the person to whom these statements were attributed. It has, therefore, asked the Chief Secretary of West Bengal to ascertain from the Chief Minister Shri Buddhadev Bhatacharya himself the correctness or otherwise of the statements attributed to him. The Chief Secretary has been requested to make his compliance immediately and to himself sent a reply to this query of this Commission. The directions of the Commission have been communicated to the Chief Secretary today.
The Commission, while considering the matter, has also highlighted that Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993, obliges the Commission to inquire into the complaint of violations of human rights or abetment thereof; or negligence in the prevention of such violation by a public servant. These statutory functions of the Commission are of wide import.
The matter was taken up by the Commission on the basis of several media reports and a letter of the Union Home Minister to the Commission dated 8 January 2001, annexing thereto a copy of a letter from the Union Railway Minister to the Home Minister dated 26 December 2000. The letter had alleged that the Chief Minister of West Bengal had directed the State Police to use arms against criminals and kill them without bothering about human rights and the Human Rights Commissions.
Earlier, the Commission had taken cognizance of the recent atrocities in West Bengal and had issued notice to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, West Bengal. Their reply is still awaited. Both these matters relate substantially to allegations of large-scale human rights violation in the State.
According to media reports, the Chief Minister, who is also the Home and the Police Minister, while inaugurating two police stations on Christmas day urged the police to `use those guns that the Government has given you’, and added, `shoot if you need to and do not worry about human rights. I’ll take care of that.’ The Union Railway Minister’s letter to the Union Home Minister also included press clippings in which the Chief Minister is have quoted to have said that the police officers need not bother about Human Rights Commission since "he could handle the Human Rights Commissions."
Since these were extracts from reports appearing in reputed newspapers and journals having large circulation in the country and abroad, the Commission felt that it was not possible to ignore these reports and the need was to verify the authenticity of the statements attributed to the Chief Minister. The significance had increased with reports of increasing police atrocities, which, it was suggested in some media reports, were at least encouraged by such an exhortation.
However, inspite of the credibility prima-facie attaching to the source of these reports, the Commission felt that it would like to form its opinion only after verification and confirmation of their authenticity directly from the person to whom these statements were attributed. It has, therefore, asked the Chief Secretary of West Bengal to ascertain from the Chief Minister Shri Buddhadev Bhatacharya himself the correctness or otherwise of the statements attributed to him. The Chief Secretary has been requested to make his compliance immediately and to himself sent a reply to this query of this Commission. The directions of the Commission have been communicated to the Chief Secretary today.
The Commission, while considering the matter, has also highlighted that Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993, obliges the Commission to inquire into the complaint of violations of human rights or abetment thereof; or negligence in the prevention of such violation by a public servant. These statutory functions of the Commission are of wide import.