New Delhi/Kolkata, April 2: The Supreme Court of India on Thursday sharply criticised the West Bengal administration, describing the state as the “most polarised” in the country, following a serious law-and-order lapse in Malda district.
The apex court took suo motu cognisance of a letter from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court detailing an alarming incident during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters’ lists, in which seven judicial officers—including three women and a five-year-old child—were held hostage by a mob for over nine hours.
The gherao occurred at a Block Development Office in Kaliachowk, Malda, starting at 3:30 PM on Wednesday, targeting officers over alleged deletions from the electoral rolls. Security forces rescued them around midnight.
The Supreme Court described the episode as a deliberate attempt to intimidate judicial officers and challenge the authority of the judiciary. Chief Justice Surya Kant emphasized that the incident was not a routine protest but a calculated effort to demoralize officers and questioned the absence of political leaders during the crisis.
The apex court directed the Election Commission to deploy adequate Central Forces at all locations where judicial officers are adjudicating objections and ordered a CBI or NIA probe, with compliance reports to be submitted directly to the court.
The state Chief Secretary, DGP, Malda district magistrate, and SSP were asked to show cause why action should not be taken against them and must appear online before the bench on April 6.
Politically, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee distanced herself from the incident, blaming the Election Commission for law-and-order lapses. She accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of a “conspiracy” to create unrest and pave the way for President’s Rule before the assembly elections. BJP leaders, however, alleged that the TMC orchestrated the incident under Banerjee’s leadership.
BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia described it as a “black spot” in the nation’s history, claiming TMC goons obstructed the SIR process and protected Rohingyas.
The Supreme Court underscored the severity of the incident and emphasized that such “mobocracy” is unacceptable, highlighting the fragile law-and-order situation in West Bengal and the political polarisation ahead of the two-phase assembly elections on April 23 and 29. Over 700 judicial officers are deployed to resolve more than 60 lakh objections in the ongoing SIR process.
Shah challenges Mamata in Bhabanipur stronghold
Union Home Minister Amit Shah turned BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s nomination filing from Bhabanipur into a high-profile political spectacle, calling the contest a “shortcut” to bring “paribartan” (change) in West Bengal by defeating Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her own bastion.
Shah said that while the BJP would normally need to win 170 seats to form a government, a victory in Bhabanipur alone could trigger a psychological and political shift in the state, symbolizing a larger change. Assembly polls in West Bengal are scheduled for April 23 and 29, with results on May 4.
Shah emphasized that Adhikari, who defeated Banerjee in Nandigram in 2021 after leaving the TMC, was persuaded to contest Bhabanipur to directly challenge the CM and replicate that upset.
He framed Bhabanipur as the symbolic epicenter of the BJP campaign, saying the seat’s outcome could decide the fate of the state government. During a roadshow from Hazra Crossing, Shah and Adhikari stood atop a campaign vehicle, surrounded by saffron flags and chanting supporters, portraying the contest as pivotal for statewide “paribartan.”
Shah highlighted BJP’s core poll plank of illegal immigration and border security, linking it to Bengal’s stability.
He claimed infiltration threatened the state’s existence and stressed the need for a BJP government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Adhikari attacked the TMC government over corruption, law and order, and appeasement politics, calling the election about “freeing Bengal.”
He urged voters to cast ballots fearlessly, claiming the BJP’s aim was not just to defeat the TMC but to uproot it entirely.
Shah announced he would remain in West Bengal for 15 days during the campaign, signaling the central leadership’s strategic focus.
By positioning Bhabanipur as both a symbolic and tactical battleground, the BJP seeks to exploit personal rivalries and psychological impact to influence voters, making the contest a high-stakes face-off with Mamata Banerjee in her political stronghold. (PTI)
