Murshidabad (West Bengal) [India], November 9 (ANI): Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday strongly criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's remarks defending the police encounter in the Raiganj rape and murder case, accusing the state government of encouraging a “trigger-happy” police force and warning that encounters could undermine the rule of law.
Reacting to Adhikari's statement that he had given the police a free hand to act strictly in cases involving serious crimes, including rape and murder, Chowdhury said the government remained responsible for ensuring that police action was governed by the law.
“Look, whether someone gives a free hand to the police or restrains them, that remains the responsibility of the government,” he said.
“However, if policemen themselves start opening fire, it is difficult to even imagine where this state and the country will head with the deteriorating state of the Constitution and law and order,” he added.
Chowdhury alleged that the police in West Bengal were “gradually becoming trigger-happy with state backing” and cautioned against a situation in which officers could shoot people merely on suspicion.
“The police in Bengal are gradually becoming trigger-happy with state backing. If police personnel are openly told that whenever you suspect someone, shoot and kill them--we are heading toward a situation where shootings and killings will become a daily routine,” he said.
Emphasising that the judiciary, and not the police, has the constitutional authority to determine whether a person is guilty, the Congress leader said that the rule of law must be upheld irrespective of the nature of the crime.
“I am not advocating on behalf of any criminal. What I mean is, as long as the rule of law exists in this country, the authority to decide whether someone is truly a criminal or not has been granted by our Constitution to the judiciary,” he said.
“If separate courts start functioning inside police stations, where will people turn for justice? That is what the question boils down to,” he added.
Chowdhury also questioned the repeated police explanation that officers opened fire in self-defence after an accused allegedly tried to snatch a police officer's firearm.
“And in Bengal, with every encounter, the same excuse is repeatedly peddled: that the criminal tried to snatch the revolver tucked at the police officer's waist, snatched it and opened fire, forcing the police to shoot back in self-defence. This exact same pretext keeps being served to us in different ways,” he said.
He said such repeated explanations raised doubts about the circumstances of the encounters and accused the government of seeking credit for improving law and order without an investigation or due process.
“This raises even greater suspicion that what is being claimed is not true. It also exposes the government’s own weaknesses--that without any investigation or due process, merely on suspicion, someone is shot, and the government tries to take credit, claiming, 'Look how we are improving the law and order situation in the state.' This is not right. I strongly oppose this,” he said.
Congress leader reiterated that his criticism of the encounter did not amount to defending the accused, but was aimed at protecting the country's legal and judicial system.
“Let me reiterate once again: opposing this does not mean I am defending or advocating for criminals. What I mean is that the legal and judicial system of the country must be upheld and protected. Otherwise, what is happening to someone else today could happen to us, to you, or to anyone tomorrow. That danger will always loom,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Adhikari defended the encounter in which the prime accused in the rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl in Raiganj was killed, saying the police had acted in self-defence.
Speaking to reporters in Digha, the Chief Minister said the police did not shoot every accused but retaliated when attacked. He also said his government had given the police a free hand to take strict action in cases involving rape and murder, drug trafficking, narcotics smuggling and illegal infiltration from Bangladesh, adopting a zero-tolerance policy towards such crimes.
The accused was killed in a police encounter on Monday. The decomposed body of the 13-year-old girl was recovered from a forested area in Raiganj on November 5.
The victim's father welcomed the police action and expressed gratitude to the police administration, saying the family felt relieved after the accused was traced and killed. (ANI)
"Same excuse repeatedly peddled after every encounter”: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury attacks Bengal's govt over police “free hand”
