SC seeks response from Bengal govt over ‘exodus’ after post-poll violence

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought a response from the West Bengal government over a plea seeking reliefs for those displaced due to the post-poll violence.

The plea filed through Advocate-on-Record Shruti Agarwal claimed that that post-poll violence in West Bengal led to an exodus of people and internal displacement of such people in the State, Bar and Bench reported.

A vacation bench of Justices Vineet Saran and BR Gavai issued notice to the state and also impleaded National Human Rights Commission and National Commission for Women as parties to the case.

The petition claimed that owing to the indifference of the state government, more than eighteen political activists lost their lives, sexual violence was committed against women with opposing political views, and loot, arson and destruction of both private and property took place in broad daylight.

It was alleged that the police and “state-sponsored goons” are in cahoots, owing to which the former is not investigating cases and there is a failure to provide protection to those who are facing threats to their lives.

“Due to the abovementioned circumstances, people are internally displaced and are forced to stay in Shelter Homes/Camps in and outside West Bengal. The Exodus of the people in West Bengal due to state-sponsored violence has posed serious humanitarian issues related to their survival, where they are forced to live in deplorable conditions, in violation of their fundamental rights enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution of India,” it was contended.

It was claimed that several families were forced out of their homes leading to a humanitarian crisis amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (UNI)