Murshidabad: HC forms 3-member panel for rehabilitation of displaced people

The Calcutta High Court has directed the formation of a three-member committee for the identification and rehabilitation of people displaced by the violence which took place during the protests over the in Murshidabad district.

The court said on Thursday, 17 April, that the three-member committee will consist of an official each from the National Human Rights Commission and the West Bengal Human Rights Commission, besides the member secretary of the State Legal Services Authority.

A division bench comprising justices Soumen Sen and Raja Basu Chowdhury also said that its interim order of 12 April, directing the deployment of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) in Murshidabad, will continue.

"We deem it appropriate to constitute a committee consisting of three officers who shall monitor and coordinate the situation," it said.

The committee was directed to identify the displaced persons, extent of damage caused to properties of the victims and also collect the data of the FIRs lodged.

The state administration was instructed to provide all required infrastructure to the committee in order to enable it to comply with the court's direction.

The committee was also given the mandate to facilitate the filing of FIRs by the victims and supervise the well-being of the displaced persons during the interregnum period.

The committee and an SIT formed by the state government were directed to file their respective reports on the next date of hearing on 15 May.

Noting that a large number of persons, including children and aged persons, have been displaced, the court said that it is imperative for the state to formulate a scheme for their rehabilitation, including the construction of houses and shops damaged in the violence.

The bench directed that the persons who have lost their livelihood are to be adequately compensated.

It also said that the families of those persons who lost their lives in the violence should be looked after and well-protected.

"It shall be the duty of the administration to protect the FIR complainants," the court said.

The bench noted that it will be the duty of the local administration to ensure that after reinstatement of all the displaced persons, "they shall receive all cooperation from the state administration so that they can live peacefully and they do not face any threat to their life, liberty and property".

The state was directed to continue with police patrolling and police pickets at vulnerable places in the districts.

"We have not curtailed the power of the central government. It has the authority to deploy Central Armed Forces if the situation so warrants," the bench said.

The court said that the prayer for NIA to investigate the violence at this stage is not considered because no adequate materials have been placed before it.

It that in any event, the central government has the power to direct NIA investigation suo motu if it is of the opinion that offences under the NIA Act have been committed.

The court was hearing a bunch of petitions, including one by Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, in connection with the violence.

The lawyer appearing for the Centre prayed before the court that the deployment of the Central forces be extended, considering the sensitivity of the situation on the ground.

Around 17 companies of Central forces currently remain deployed in the trouble-torn pockets of Suti and Samserganj-Dhulian in the district.

Making its submission before the court, the state government placed a report and claimed that the law and order situation in the district is currently under control.

The state also submitted that some of the affected families have already returned to their homes.

Several people have taken shelter in a school-turned-relief camp in the adjoining Malda district after escaping the violence, one of the petitioners claimed.

Appearing for the state, senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee submitted that more than 270 people have been arrested till midnight on Wednesday in connection with the violence.

He said that a sufficient number of state police, RAF and central forces personnel have been deployed in the affected areas, and a Special Investigation Team has been constituted under the leadership of a deputy inspector general.

More than 1,050 social media accounts have been blocked for spreading rumours, he said.

Banerjee, making a submission opposing a prayer for imposition of Article 355 in Murshidabad, said that law and order is the state's responsibility.

He assured the court that the state government would restore and rehabilitate anyone displaced by the violence.