Fact finding committee to visit North and South 24-Parganas on February 24 and 25
Telegraph | 21 February 2024
A “fact-finding” committee comprising former judges, bureaucrats and civil society members will visit several areas of South 24-Parganas and North 24-Parganas, including Sandeshkhali, on February 24 and 25 to probe alleged incidents of human rights violations and submit its report to constitutional authorities.
On February 24, a delegation that will include former Chief Justice of Patna High Court Justice L. Narsimha Reddy, former IPS officer Raj Pal Singh, former National Commission for Women member Charu Wali Khanna, advocates O.P. Vyas and Bhavna Bajaj, and senior journalist Sanjeev Nayak is scheduled to tour various locations in South 24-Parganas. The next day, the committee will visit Sandeshkhali.
Several allegations of Trinamul Congress leaders grabbing residents’ properties had cropped up in Sandeshkhali.
According to a release, the delegation will visit several areas of South 24-Parganas like Ramnagar in Baruipur, Bansra in Canning, Baishata in Bakultala and Chuprijhara and Nalgora under the jurisdiction of Kutali police station on February 24. The following day, the delegation will visit Majherpara, Natun para, Patra para and Naskarpara Ras temple under the jurisdiction of Sandeshkhali police station and speak to aggrieved people.
The committee will not only investigate the recent reports of extensive violence against women in Sandeshkhali but will also scrutinise alleged human rights violations stemming from the presence of Rohingyas and the influx of immigrants.
The committee will prepare a report and submit it to the constitutional authorities.
Last week, a “fact-finding” committee sent by the BJP and composed of Union minister Annapurna Devi, Pratima Bhowmik, MP Sunita Duggal, Kavita Patidar, Sangeeta Yadav and Rajya Sabha member and former director general of police of Uttar Pradesh Brij Lal had been stopped by police from entering Sandeshkhali.