Today, On 20th January, Calcutta High Court has stressed that life, liberty, dignity and property of citizens must be protected amid recurring violence in Beldanga. It directed the West Bengal government to deploy central forces immediately to stabilise law and order there.
The Calcutta High Court directed the West Bengal government to deploy central armed police forces in the Beldanga area of Murshidabad district to prevent further violence.
Recent reports indicate that violence erupted in Beldanga last week following the arrival of 30-year-old Alauddin Sheikh’s body, who was allegedly murdered in Jharkhand. Sheikh was a resident of Sujapur Kumarpur in Murshidabad.
In the aftermath of the unrest, police filed four First Information Reports (FIRs) and arrested around 30 individuals, with protestors blocking the national highway and assaulting a news reporter.
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The division bench, consisting of Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen, noted that the life, liberty, and dignity of citizens in both Beldanga and Murshidabad were at risk.
They stated,
“In our considered view, the repeated incidents and recurrence of violence in the said district is certainly worrisome. Immediate and effective measures are required to ensure life, liberty, dignity, and property of citizens in the said district, including Beldanga.”
Given the conflicting positions of the Union and State governments regarding the deployment of central forces, the Court issued several directives:
- The Superintendent of Police and District Magistrate of Murshidabad must ensure that the life, liberty, and dignity of individuals and their property are safeguarded. All necessary steps should be taken to restore normalcy.
- The State must utilize the central armed forces currently in Murshidabad to prevent any recurrence of violence, utilizing intelligence inputs to avoid similar incidents.
The Court also indicated that the Central government might consider an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the events in Beldanga.
These directives followed a plea from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari, who requested the deployment of central forces in Beldanga and called for an NIA probe into the incident. Adhikari’s application was part of an ongoing PIL related to previous violence in Murshidabad.
Senior Advocate Billwadal Bhattacharyya, representing Adhikari, argued that the State government hadn’t fully utilized the available central forces.
He alleged there were premeditated attacks against Hindus in the area, insisting that,
“These targeted attacks on Hindus should be prevented.”
He urged that if the State was hesitant, the Central government should be directed to intervene.
In response, Senior Advocate Kalyan Bandopadhyay, representing the State, explained the measures taken to stabilize the situation, stating that five companies of central armed forces were deployed. He assured the Court that if more resources were necessary, a request would be made.
However, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Asok Kumar Chakrabarti pointed out that the Border Security Force (BSF) had only been utilized for a brief period and that there had been recurrent violence in Beldanga.
He emphasized that the Constitution allows the Central government to deploy forces in unrest-affected areas without needing a requisition from the State government.
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In reply, Bandopadhyay contested the claim that central forces were underutilized, suggesting that there seemed to be a political tussle between the Central and State governments. He argued that Adhikari’s plea was politically motivated and could foster division between religions.
He also asserted that the situation had improved since January 17, stating,
“If it is required, why only five [BSF companies]? We will requisition more companies. This is our stand. They are my citizens first. I know how to protect. I can’t get protection from political attacks.”
The case will be revisited in four weeks, with the State and Central governments required to submit their counter affidavits within 15 days.
