BJP candidate from the Kharagpur Sadar assembly constituency, Dilip Ghosh, criticised the law and order situation in West Bengal following the hostage crisis in Malda and called for stringent action against the accused.
Speaking on April 3, he said judges face frequent obstructions in executing their duties across the state.
“We have been saying from the beginning that there is no legal system in Bengal. Judges are being surrounded and attacked… This keeps happening again and again. When judges are being obstructed and kept from doing their duty, where is the legal system? Where is it in Bengal? The very system and the legal framework are being challenged here. An inquiry should be held, and the accused should be dealt with strict punishment. We are standing at the verge of elections, but how will the elections take place in such a situation?” he said.
He also criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, stating, “She is speaking rubbish. It is only because of the neutral and objective elections that she is sitting as the Chief Minister of West Bengal.”
The controversy arose after seven judicial officers, including three women, were held hostage by villagers in Malda district on April 1. The standoff resulted from mass deletions in the electoral rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. This incident was part of broader protests that paralysed Malda, with road blockades on national and state highways and rural routes across at least five assembly constituencies.
The Supreme Court described the incident as a brazen and deliberate attempt to obstruct the administration of justice. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant expressed concern that state authorities failed to provide timely protection despite prior notice, leaving the officers without food or water for hours.
The court issued show-cause notices to senior state officials, including the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, and Director-General of Police, demanding explanations for their inaction. It directed the Election Commission to requisition and deploy central forces to ensure the safety of judicial officers and the smooth continuation of the SIR adjudication process.
Additionally, the court mandated strict security at all venues, restricted public access, ordered immediate threat assessments concerning officers and their families, and required compliance reports. Senior officials were instructed to attend the next hearing virtually.
West Bengal is scheduled to hold assembly elections in two phases, with voting on April 23 and April 29, and counting on May 4.