A new conflict has arisen between the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over housing facilities for Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel deployed in a hospital in West Bengal’s capital Kolkata. The central government alleged in the Supreme Court that the West Bengal government is not cooperating in providing equipment to CISF for security at RG Kar Hospital. The Center has said that the Bengal government should provide proper housing facilities for CISF personnel. If this is not done, it will amount to contempt of court and action should be taken for this.
The Home Ministry has said in its petition that at present CISF personnel are staying in the CISF unit located in the suburban area of Kolkata and it takes them an hour to reach the hospital. In this way, they are not able to perform their duties properly. The ministry told the court that in case of emergency they will be unable to respond immediately and mobilize the personnel immediately. The Home Ministry also said that it is the responsibility of the state government to take care of the security and facilities of the personnel and any kind of deficiency in this will not be tolerated.
This case has come to light after the gruesome rape-murder that took place in a Kolkata hospital last month. CISF was entrusted with the responsibility of guarding this hospital. The central government has taken this issue seriously and has warned the state government that if proper facilities are not provided to CISF personnel, it may result in contempt of court action.
Let us tell you that after the order of the Supreme Court, about 150 personnel of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) have been deployed in Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital. A day after the order of the apex court, the Union Home Ministry had written a letter to the Chief Secretary of West Bengal for the deployment of CISF in the government hospital of Kolkata. Sources said that after this the decision to deploy CISF was taken. The body of the female doctor was found in the auditorium of the hospital on the morning of August 9.
