NCST asks Bengal to reopen cases of post-poll violence

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has directed West Bengal chief secretary and director general of police to reopen cases of post-poll violence in the state, book accused under sections of SC/ST Act, expedite compensation claims and frame a plan to bring back tribals displaced after violence.

The NCST, a constitutional body to safeguard the interests of Scheduled Tribes, has given detailed directives to West Bengal government after a field visit, studying the detailed report of the state government and personal appearance of West Bengal chief secretary and DGP at a commission meeting last week. Speaking to ET, NCST (member) Ananta Nayak said, "During the field visit in June I had received at least 100 complaints personally where tribals complained against violence including murder, rape incidents. But many complainants did not wish to be identified. We took up 29 complaints of tribals on which no action had been taken wrote to the government and DGP. Out of 29, we received a reply on 16. Since the answers were not satisfactory, we summoned the top officers." NCST had visited five districts - Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Paschim Burdwan, North 24 Parganas, Hooghly - and given a scathing report against the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal.

In last week's Commission meeting, Nayak discussed every case with West Bengal government officials and DGP. The Commission's findings have pointed out that tribals have been unable to get any government compensation as the police had not filed any case under Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. "There were several cases of atrocities against tribals. There was a village where tribal women had been raped and no case had been registered. We got these complaints and now we have asked the police to go back to these villages and lodge FIRs," said Nayak. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is inquiring into the post-poll violence. Nayak said that though CBI in inquiring into the matter it did not stop the state government or the police from invoking SC/ST Act to ensure compensation to the tribals.

"We have also pointed out that several tribal villages are now empty and tribals are too scared to come back. The state government needs to frame a policy to rehabilitate them," said Nayak.