Malda hostage crisis: BJP's Dilip Ghosh slams Bengal law and order

BJP's Dilip Ghosh slammed West Bengal's law and order after judicial officers were held hostage in Malda. The Supreme Court called the incident a 'brazen' attempt to obstruct justice and pulled up state officials for their inaction.

BJP Slams Bengal's Law and Order

BJP candidate from Kharagpur Sadar assembly constituency, Dilip Ghosh, on Friday, asserted that there is no law and order in West Bengal after the Malda hostage crisis and demanded strict punishment for the accused individuals. Speaking to ANI, he said that the judges have been facing obstructions in doing their duty in the State. "We have been saying from the beginning that there is no legal system in Bengal. Judges are being surrounded and attacked... This keeps happening again and again. When judges are being obstructed and kept from doing their duty, where is the legal system? Where is it in Bengal? The very system and the legal framework are being challenged here. An inquiry should be held, and the accused should be dealt with strict punishment. We are standing at the verge of elections, but how will the elections take place in such a situation?" he said.

Criticising West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, he said, "She is speaking rubbish. It is only because of the neutral and objective elections that she is sitting as the Chief Minister of West Bengal."

Details of the Hostage Crisis

This comes after seven judicial officers, including three women, were held hostage by villagers in Malda district on Wednesday. The standoff was triggered by mass deletions from the electoral rolls under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. The incident was part of a broader wave of protests that paralysed Malda throughout the day, as demonstrators staged road blockades across national and state highways and key rural routes in at least five Assembly constituencies.

Supreme Court Intervenes

Earlier, the Supreme Court described the incident as a brazen and deliberate attempt to obstruct the administration of justice. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant expressed concern that, despite prior intimation, the State authorities failed to provide prompt protection, leaving the officers without food or water for hours.

The court issued show-cause notices to senior State officials, including the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and Director-General of Police, asking them to explain their inaction. It directed the Election Commission to requisition and deploy adequate central forces to ensure the safety of judicial officers and the smooth conduct of the SIR adjudication process.

The bench also mandated strict security measures at all venues, restricted public entry, ordered an immediate assessment of threat perceptions to the officers and their families, and required compliance reports. It asked senior officials to be present virtually at the next hearing.

West Bengal Poll Schedule

Meanwhile, West Bengal will go to the polls in two phases, with voting scheduled on April 23 and April 29, while counting will take place on May 4. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)