Howrah violence: Suvendu Adhikari files PIL in Calcutta HC, seeks NIA probe

Howrah (West Bengal) [India], March 31 : Following the violence in West Bengal's Howrah during Ram Navami celebrations, Leader of Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari on Friday filed a PIL in Calcutta High Court seeking a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the matter and immediate deployment of Central Forces in the violence-affected areas.
The Acting Justice of Calcitta High Court granted leave to file the PIL and directed the same to appear at top of the list on Monday, April 3.
Taking to Twitter, Adhikari wrote, "I have filed a Public Interest Litigation today in the High Court at Calcutta pertaining to the incidents of violence and attack on the Ram Navami processions at Howrah and Dalkhola. I have prayed for NIA probe and immediate deployment of Central Forces in such areas for containing the situation and restoration of Law and Order situation as well as for saving innocent lives. The Acting Chief Justice has been pleased grant leave to file the PIL and directed the same to appear on Monday at top of the list."
Earlier on Friday Adhikari met the injured of Howarh violence in Hospital. The BJP leader alleged that West Bengal Police acted as mute spectator when houses were vandalised during the violence.
"Police are not doing its work. They are silent spectators. They are not doing anything. All houses of Hindus have been vandalised. All Hindus in Kazipara area had to flee to save their lives," Adhikari told reporters here.
"I will meet the injured and thereafter meet the Commissioner of Police (CP). CP had refused to meet me. I had sought an appointment for 4 pm but he had said that the question does not even arise - Chief Minister has given directions. But I will go there and carry a CD of yesterday's incidents with me," added the BJP leader.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose and took stock of the situation in Howrah where violence broke out. Shah also called West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar and enquired about the law and order situation in the state.
After violence broke out in West Bengal's Howrah during Ram Navami celebrations, BJP MP Locket Chatterjee on Friday said that the lives of Hindus in the state are "under threat".
"It is disheartening. Such visuals emerge from Bengal every Ram Navami and Durga idol immersion. It is not acceptable that the lives of Hindus in Bengal are under threat. When there was violence in Howrah yesterday, Mamata Banerjee was sitting on a 30-hour Dharna," Chatterjee told ANI. The BJP MP accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of appeasement politics. She demended the resignation of Mamata Banerjee.
"What did she say? Muslims live nicely during Ramzan. Is this an example of that? She is with Muslims for vote bank and appeasement politics. Law and order situation in the state is worse. She should resign. She is the Chief Minister as well as Home Minister and she is unable to stop this. This has been happening one after the other...This should be probed by National Investigation Agency (NIA)," added Chatterjee.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur also condemned the violence in West Bengal.
"During Mamata Banerjee's rule, journalists were attacked, stone pelting was done during Ram Navami processions. If journalists are becoming victims of violence and the State government remains a mute spectator, what can be more shameful than this? The more it is condemned, the less it is..." Thakur said. The situation turned violent in Shibpur area of Howrah on Friday. Fresh violence broke out here ,on Friday a day after arson on 'Ram Navami'.
Several vehicles were set on fire earlier on Thursday after two groups clashed in
Howrah amid Ram Navami celebrations. During the procession, the rioters vandalized public and private properties and set vehicles on fire.
West Bengal Police on Thursday conducted a flag march in Howrah where violence broke out during a Ram Navami procession.