MHA seeks report from TMC govt on violence

New Delhi: The central government on Saturday sought separate reports from the West Bengal government on the ongoing doctors’ strike and on political violence in the state, which has claimed 160 lives in the past four years.

In an advisory to the West Bengal government, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) told the latter that the continued trend of political violence from 2016 through 2019 is an indicative of the “failure” on the part of the law-enforcement machinery of the state in maintaining the rule of law and inspire a sense of security among the people. The government of India is seriously concerned over the prevalent situation in West Bengal, it said.

The “unabated violence over the years is evidently a matter of deep concern”, the Centre said, pointing out the growing number of incidents of election-related and political violence and casualties during 2016-2019.