Waving sticks won’t help WB authorities

There is little redemption in sight for the West Bengal administration in the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder case. It has now had to backtrack on the vindictive notice issued to Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, a Rajya Sabha member from the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), over “spreading misinformation” through a social media post. In a post on X, Roy had sought custodial interrogation of the police commissioner over mishandling of the probe, including an allegation of delayed inspection of the crime scene by sniffer dogs. The police latched on to this bit, saying it was untrue, and Roy had to approach the Calcutta high court for protection. On Tuesday, Roy told the high court that he would delete the post and the administration said that for its part, it would not take any coercive action.

Possible judicial stricture seems to have pushed the ruling dispensation to stand down. Instead of trying to soothe public anger over the crime and its inept handling of the aftermath, the administration chose to signal that it will brook no criticism. But this is hardly surprising given the previous instances of a heavy-handed approach, whether it is the arrest of a professor for sharing a cartoon lampooning the chief minister or the chief minister labelling a critical student as “Maoist”. Unless it wishes to stoke further public anger and judicial ire, the administration should pay heed to the Supreme Court’s words: It must not unleash the “power of the State” on protesters, and, rather, deal with them with “great sensitivity in this moment of national catharsis”.

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