West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday shifted the blame onto the BJP after the Supreme Court came down heavily on the state over the shocking gherao of judicial officers in Malda.
Addressing a rally in Sagardighi, the Trinamool Congress chief distanced her administration from the episode, attributing it instead to public outrage over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. “I don’t know who those people are who gheraoed the judicial officers, but people are angry with SIR. I don’t have any power; law and order has been taken away from me,” she claimed.
Escalating her attack, Banerjee alleged the incident was part of a larger BJP “gameplan” to derail the upcoming Assembly elections. According to her, sensing defeat, the saffron party is attempting to engineer unrest to justify cancelling the polls and paving the way for President’s Rule in Bengal.
She also targeted the Election Commission, accusing it of failing to maintain law and order despite being in charge during the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct. The TMC has maintained that the responsibility for the safety of judicial officers lies with the EC under these circumstances.
Even as tensions simmer, Banerjee appealed for restraint, urging citizens not to be “provoked” amid widespread anger over reports that lakhs of names have been struck off voter lists just days before polling.
The flashpoint came on Wednesday in Malda’s Kaliachak II block, where a large protest erupted outside the Block Development Office over alleged voter deletions during the SIR process. Protesters demanded access to judicial officers reviewing disputed cases. When denied, the crowd surrounded the premises around 4 pm, effectively detaining seven judicial officers, including three women, for nearly nine hours.
The situation escalated further when stones were hurled at a police vehicle during the eventual rescue operation, which concluded around 1 am.
Taking serious note of the incident, the Supreme Court on Thursday termed it a direct challenge to judicial authority. Describing West Bengal as a “highly polarised state,” the court observed that the episode appeared “pre-planned and motivated.”
In strong remarks, the bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant said the gherao was “a brazen attempt not only to intimidate judicial officers but also to undermine the authority of this Court.” It directed the Election Commission to consider handing over the probe to central agencies like the NIA or the CBI for a comprehensive investigation.
