West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday announced that his government has approved the formation of two panels, each led by a retired high court judge, to investigate institutional corruption and torture of women. This move fulfills a key promise made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the recent assembly elections in the state.
Background of the Decision
Corruption and women's safety were major electoral issues for the BJP in the West Bengal assembly elections. The party specifically highlighted the RG Kar rape case and the Sandeshkhali violence, launching a full-frontal attack on the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) government. The formation of these panels is seen as a step towards addressing these concerns.
Details of the Panels
The first panel will focus on institutional corruption, examining allegations of graft within government departments and public institutions. The second panel will investigate cases of torture and violence against women, aiming to ensure justice and accountability. Both panels will be led by retired judges from the Calcutta High Court, ensuring judicial expertise and impartiality.
This development comes amid ongoing political tensions in the state, with the BJP accusing the previous TMC government of widespread corruption and failure to protect women. The new panels are expected to submit their reports within a stipulated timeframe, though no specific deadline has been announced yet.
This is a developing story. More details are awaited as the panels begin their work.
