The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday took cognizance of the violence in Asansol, West Bengal during Ram Navami processions last week.
The rights body has issued notice to Bengal government asking them to explain the causes and nature of violence in the area in the last few days which lead to death of at least one person. It has also asked asks its DG (Investigation) to depute a team for spot inquiry, reports ANI. According to reports, many people have fled the area after communal violence broke out last week. Situation is slowly limping back to normalcy in the area.
On Sunday, BJP central team visited Asansol. The four-member BJP delegation, led by its national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain, visited Asansol amid tight security and were joined by the local BJP leaders at relief camps.
After returning to Kolkata, Hussain blamed the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government for "having failed" to control the situation in the Asansol-Raniganj belt of West Burdwan district and said, "It (the government) has played the role of a mute observer." "We visited relief camps in Asansol and found that whatever had happened was wrong. It was a failure on the part of the state government," he told reporters. Besides Hussain, the delegation included BJP national vice-president and Rajya Sabha member Om Prakash Mathur, Palamu MP and former director general of Jharkhand police Vishnu Dayal Ram and Rajya Sabha member Roopa Ganguly. "We want the administration to take strict action against the culprits responsible for the riots here," Mathur said.
On the way to the coal town of Asansol, the delegation was first stopped by the police at Basra More and then near Kalipahari as prohibitory orders were in force in the area. The BJP leaders, however stuck to their plans and proceeded to Asansol. The Mamata Banerjee government had said it would not allow the BJP team to visit the coal towns of Asansol and Raniganj as prohibitory orders under section 144, CrPC were in force in the riot-hit towns.
It had also said that with the dates for the panchayat polls announced and the model code of conduct being in force, it would not be able to provide ample security for the BJP delegation visiting Asansol. The Asansol-Raniganj belt had witnessed clashes between two groups over Ram Navami celebrations, resulting in the death of one person. Two police officers too were injured in the clashes. The internet services remained suspended in both the towns, a senior police officer said.
With PTI inputs
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