Nupur Sharma comment row: Calcutta HC directs West Bengal govt to call in Central forces if unable to.....

Kolkata: Calcutta High Court directed the state authorities to call in central forces if the local police fail to control the situation in any place. The court expressed hope that the West Bengal government will take necessary steps to ensure that no untoward incident takes place over protests against controversial remarks by suspended BJP spokespersons. A division bench presided by Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava on Monday directed the state government, "In case, the state police are unable to control the situation at any place then state authorities will take immediate steps to call in the central forces." It further directed it to file a status report on the situation on June 15 on prayer to do so by the Advocate General representing the state. 

Petitions were moved before the high court seeking deployment of the Army in view of violent protests in Howrah, Murshidabad and Nadia districts against controversial comments by the sacked BJP spokesperson and expelled leader Naveen Jindal on Prophet Mohammad. One of the five petitioners prayed before the division bench for a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the protests, claiming that arson and ransacking of public and private properties were affecting national integrity.

The petitioners, claiming that National Highway 16 was blocked for several hours on June 9 at Ankurhati in Howrah district, alleged that there was complete failure on the part of the state police in responding to the situation.

Alleging that houses and shops were ransacked by an unruly mob, one of the petitioners gave a list of the names of those whose establishments or vehicles were damaged, apart from a BJP party office at Raghudebpur in Howrah district. 

The bench, also comprising Justice R Bharadwaj, directed that the matter will be taken up for hearing again on June 15. Advocate General S N Mookherjee opposed the prayers claiming that apart from one incident of damage to a passenger train at Bethuadahari in Nadia, there have been no violent protests reported in the state in nearly 36 hours. He also stated before the bench that 214 people have been arrested and that prohibitory orders were imposed apart from a temporary suspension of internet services in affected places.

Nupur Sharma summoned at Narkeldanga Police Station on June 20

The Kolkata Police has summoned suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma to appear at Narkeldanga Police Station on June 20 to record her statement in connection with her controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad, said a PTI report. Sharma's comments, made during a TV debate, have sparked violent protests in several parts of the country, including in West Bengal, where Howrah districts, parts of Murshidabad and South 24 Parganas have reportedly witnessed violent protests since last Friday's prayers.

Trinamool Congress minority cell general secretary Abul Sohail has also lodged an FIR against Sharma at Contai police station over her remarks. Reacting to the Kolkata Police's summons sent to the former BJP leader, CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said, "Nupur Sharma should have been arrested by Delhi long back. Her comments have brought shame to the country. Now, the TMC government in Bengal instead of putting pressure on the Centre to have her arrested is trying to gain political mileage by doing this."

"Her comments had hurt the sentients millions of people. The FIR should have been lodged much earlier so that Sharma could be arrested. Now, when the situation has started getting out of the hand, FIRs are being lodged," PTI quoted Congress's Kamruzzaman Choudhury as saying.

Manoj Tigga, BJP's chief whip in Bengal legislature told PTI, "Nupur should consult a lawyer ... but I believe instead of doing this (call the former BJP spokeswoman for questioning), the state should arrest rioters and take strong action against them. Why can't the state act so that common people get back their normal lives?" 

(With PTI Inputs)