Calcutta, July 14: Amid the spate of violence before and after the rural poll in Bengal that has so far claimed at least 57 lives putting the state government in an embarrassing situation, Trinamul Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Friday evening launched a scathing attack on the Calcutta High Court and section of its judges, particularly Justice Rajasekhar Mantha, accusing them of providing “protection” to the hooligans close to BJP and opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari.
Targeting the Calcutta High Court, Abhishek said, “The High Court is providing security to the anti-social elements. How can they be saved….The way a section of the court is supporting it is very sad”, he said adding that some orders issued by the court have tied the hands of police from taking action. He also tried to draw the attention of the Chief Justice to the issue.
“We have not seen this in the judiciary ever since Independence. Anyone can take action against me for contempt of court for speaking the truth” Abhishek alleged while blaming a section of the judges of Calcutta High Court, Particularly Justice Mantha acting under the “Direction of Delhi”.
After visiting the fourteen party workers admitted to the SSKM Hospital, who were injured due to an alleged attack by BJP supporters in East Midnapore’s Nandigram, Abhishek made the categorical attack blaming the BJP and the Calcutta High court for fomenting tension in the state.
He accused BJP of unleashing a reign of terror across the state after losing the rural poll and desperately
trying to project Bengal with an ugly look with the help of the judiciary and a section of the media. “They have lost ground in the panchayat poll and now trying to take resort to violence with a malicious intention to defame Bengal and to divert attention from their fiasco in the poll”, Abhishek said.
Speaking before the media persons, the Diamond Harbor MP accused BJP of unleashing violence across the state, threatening women with rape, and attacking the Trinamul workers, but at the same time expressed “helplessness” on behalf of the police and administration as he alleged that initiating legal action against the miscreants has become difficult due to the role of the Calcutta High Court.
“How can police take action? It is quite unfortunate that the Calcutta High Court has been protecting the hooligans. The court is preventing law enforcement agencies to take action. I have repeatedly been told that a section of the judiciary has been encouraging the BJP. BJP has been trying to demolish independent judiciary and media – the third and fourth pillars of democracy – ever since they came to power
Making the party’s stand categorically clear, he further said, “Our party is against violence. But in Nandigram, where the BJP has won some seats have attacked our party workers, forced them to flee homes, and threatened women to rape.”
“By helping those who must be jailed and put behind bars, the High Court has tied the hands of the police and the administration. The same bench that gave protection to Suvendu Adhikari has given protection to miscreants like Pabitra Kar, Meghnad Pal, and Ashok Kara”, he alleged adding if there is anyone responsible for atrocities on the Trinamul supporters, it is the High Court Judge
“What is the compulsion of the court that it is protecting the hooligans? Abhishek asked.
Accusing Justice Mantha of protecting BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, he said, “Justice Rajasekhar Mantha has given a judgment that effectively protects Suvendu Adhikari, which ensures that no action can be taken against him even if he commits any unlawful act in the future…no FIR can be lodged against him without the court’s permission. The same judge has now passed an order that has tied the hands of the administration and prevents the police from taking action against these thugs
Earlier he met the injured party worker admitted at the SSKM Hospital’s trauma care unit. He said that none of the persons involved in the attack will be spared.
Reacting to the observations made by Abhishek Banerjee about the Calcutta High Court, senior BJP leader and party MP Dilip Ghosh said, “It is quite shocking…Abhishek Banerjee should be thankful to the Court as it is due to the Court he is still outside, else he would have been in Tihar jail by this time with his party colleague Anubrata Mandal” “He has also got protection and walking freely only because of the court”, Ghosh added.
(The NfN does not agree with the comments made by Trinamul leader Abhishek Banerjee. The NfN team members have the highest respect and faith in the judiciary and for the honorable judges. We sincerely appeal to the esteemed readers and anyone concerned not to consider this report as a direct or indirect endorsement of disparaging comments about the Calcutta High Court and its honorable judges.)