Delhi HC notice to NHRC on BJYM member plea over police brutality at Nabanna Chalo rally

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice to National Human Right Commission (NHRC) on a plea moved by a member of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) claiming police brutality and excessiveness on youth including women during a peaceful BJYM's 'Nabanna Chalo Rally' in West Bengal on October 8 last year.

The petitioner, Rohit Verma, states that he on October 13, 2020, filed a complaint in NHRC and sought enquiry against the individuals and authorities responsible for the commission of unwarranted brutality and excesses on the participants at the peaceful rally which included the petitioner. But, so far, the BJYM has not received any acknowledgement from the respondent.

This clearly shows the intent of the respondent (NHRC) to sleep over the complaint and let the people of West Bengal suffer at the hands of a cruel and sadistic police establishment and a despotic ruling dispensation, the plea stated.

The Bench of Justice Rekha Palli on Tuesday sought the response of NHRC through its registrar and slated the matter for October 10, 2021. Petitioner seeks directions from Court to the concerned authority/NHRC to conduct an enquiry into the violence that ensued in West Bengal on October 8, 2020.

Petitioner through Advocates Kabir Shankar Bose along with Advocate Surjendu Sankar Das states that the large-scale brutality committed by the police authorities on BJYM members who were peacefully protesting were sanctioned by the WB Government in an attempt to crush and stifle dissent by brute force.

The plea stated that in the complaint filed before NHRC various disturbing instances of gross misconduct by the police authorities against the participants of a peaceful rally which were ordered and sanctioned by the Government of West Bengal were highlighted.

The large-scale brutality committed by the police authorities were ordered and sanctioned by the Government of West Bengal in an attempt to crush and stifle dissent by brute force.

The complainant alleged that the vicious attacks by the police authorities at the behest of the state government are politically motivated and focused against the supporters of any political party or faction which is not the ruling party of the state of West Bengal, namely, the All-India Trinamool Congress (TMC). These acts demonstrate that the police of the state of West Bengal has been reduced to a mere pawn in the hands of the TMC. Under the TMC, the Government of West Bengal has failed miserably to prevent or credibly investigate incidents of human rights violations which are carried out regularly by state authorities, plea read.

( With inputs from ANI )