Kolkata, June 30 (IANS). A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the police to submit a report on the action taken in incidents of eggs being thrown at political leaders and workers since the results of the recently concluded assembly elections in the state were declared on June 4.
The Division Bench of High Court Acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Partha Sarathi Chatterjee gave this direction to the state police after hearing the PIL of Trinamool Congress.
The petitioners alleged that BJP workers threw eggs at Trinamool Congress leaders (including former and current elected representatives of the party) in the presence of the police and that the police remained a mute spectator during these attacks. However, the Division Bench rejected the petitioner’s demand for an interim order in this case.
During the hearing on Tuesday, the Division Bench said that the state government should tell the court what steps the police administration has taken to stop such egg throwing attacks.
The court also said that merely arresting some people involved in the case would not be enough, but widespread social awareness should be created.
The Division Bench emphasized that it is the responsibility of the state administration to ensure the safety of everyone.
The state government’s counsel told the court that the administration is repeatedly appealing to the people not to take law into their hands, but as no concrete complaint has been filed in the matter, the administration has little to do.
In response, petitioner’s lawyer and four-time Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member Kalyan Banerjee accused the police of being the mastermind behind such incidents of egg throwing.
Banerjee argued that such attacks were happening even in safe places like airports. A minister is asking people to throw eggs. What steps has the government taken and on these grounds it sought an interim order from the court, which was rejected.
–IANS
dkm/vc