'Nabanna Cholo' march violence: BJP fact-finding team recommends CBI probe

New Delhi, Sep 24 (IANS) Fair inquiry is not possible by state police as they are hand-in-glove with their political masters, the ruling Trinamool Congress led by CHief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who also holds the home portfolio, said the fact-finding team appointed by the BJP in its report on Saturday.

The team, which was constituted to probe the violence during the 'Nabanna Cholo Abhiyan', submitted its report to BJP chief J.P. Nadda on Saturday.

The committee recommended that the entire episode should be inquired into by Central Agency CBI. National Human Rights Commission should also go to Kolkata to conduct inquiry into gross human right violations and brutality by Kolkata Police and TMC goons, it said.

Earlier, a five-member delegation was formed by BJP President J.P. Nadda to probe the violence during 'Nabanna Cholo Abhiyan' on September 13.

The Fact-Finding Team interacted at length with party workers of West Bengal. It also spoke to some non-political people as well as a few executive authorities like the SHO and his colleagues at Hare Street Police Station.

The Committee came to know that there has been brutal abuse of power and authority by the State government machinery, while dealing with the BJP Karyakartas (workers) who had intended to participate in peaceful demonstrations against the corrupt methods of the current government of West Bengal.

The Fact-Finding Team subscribes to writer Lord Acton's view that 'Power tends to corrupt man and absolute power corrupts absolutely.'

Naming officers the report said, "Siddhnath Gupta, IPS, Damayanti Sen, IPS and Praveen Kumar Tripathi, IPS were publicly seen to have grossly ignored their duties and acted in a partisan manner against BJP karyakartas. Their inaction points at a well-thought-out conspiracy by the State government."

The report said that brutal and unparalleled violence was perpetrated by police officers with face covers, without their name tags and many of whom were in civilian clothes, along with TMC goons.

AS per the fact finding committee report, on September 14, Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee brazenly praised the efforts of police for targeting BJP karyakartas during Nabanna Chalo march. Moreover, on national TV Abhishek Banerjee recklessly stated that he would have shot the protesters in their head if he was present at the site, referring to the alleged assault on certain Kolkata police officials.

"This very statement of the second-in-command of the TMC reveals the fascist mindset of their party as well as the fact that the illegal and brutal use of force by the State police on September 13 had the sanction of the political bosses of the TMC," said the report.