SC: PIL says law and order collapsed in Bengal, seeks protection for oppn leaders

New Delhi, Dec 23 : A PIL has been moved in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the West Bengal government to ensure protection to opposition leaders as a prerequisite for a free and fair Assembly election scheduled next year.
Citing news reports, the plea said Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in his recent visit to the state, said more than 300 BJP members had been killed in West Bengal after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) came to power and there is no movement in the investigations.
The PIL filed by advocates Vineet Dhanda and Puneet Kaur Dhanda contended that continuous violation of fundamental rights, statutory rights and human rights in West Bengal has reached its zenith and government and its police machinery are involved in such violations. The plea has also sought status report into the killing of activists and BJP leaders.
“Free and fair elections is the essence of democracy and the present scenario of lawlessness in the state of West Bengal is the threat to the very essence of democracy and it is high time to control the lawlessness and political killings in West Bengal,” said the plea.
The plea has argued that the law and order and system of affairs in the state has collapsed beyond repair and the political leaders other than the ruling party are being systematically killed for vested interests. The plea cited the recent attack on the convoy of BJP chief J.P. Nadda during his visit to the state by miscreants belonging to the ruling party and their allies.
“It is a serious issue in a democracy wherein a particular community i.e. Hindus are not allowed to vote and the votes are cast on their behalf by bogus voters. The problem of bogus voting needs to be solved in the state of West Bengal as soon as possible by the Election Commission of India”, said the plea.