Centre moves SC, says Bengal not providing logistics support to CISF at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital

The Supreme Court, which took suo motu cognisance of the rape and murder as well as a mob attack on the hospital on August 14, had on August 20 directed the CISF to provide security at the hospital.

Referring to this, the application said that when the suggestion for the deployment of the CISF was put forward before the court, “the state government through its counsel stated that there is no objection if such a course of action is adopted”.

The Home Ministry said “such wilful non-compliance” of the court’s orders “is not only contemptuous but it also goes against all the constitutional and moral principles which the State should abide by…”

“… due to non-availability of accommodation, security gadgets and paucity of transportation, duty personnel are facing a lot of difficulties in performing duties coming from various locations, especially the lady contingent. It is submitted that the same is highly detrimental considering the present situation in the State of West Bengal. The CISF, in light of the above, requested that the matter may be taken up by the Ministry of Home Affairs with the Government of West Bengal,” the application said.

The Ministry said that the CISF has deployed 2 companies, each having a strength of 92, at the hospital from August 22. The application said that the CISF had thereafter received a requisition to deploy personnel at five other hostels of R G Kar which are outside the main campus.

The Home Ministry said it took this matter up with the West Bengal Chief Secretary through a letter on September 2, requesting adequate logistics arrangement and the security gadgets sought by CISF. “But thereafter, there has been no response from the state government…” the Ministry told the court.

The application said: “CISF personnels deployed at R G Kar Hospital are facing severe difficulties due to lack of accommodation and lack of basic security infrastructure. The troops are presently staying at CISF Unit SMP, Kolkata despite the constraints being faced by the accommodating unit. The traveling time from SMP Kolkata to R G Kar Hospital is nearly 1 hour from one side and it is difficult to discharge duties effectively and to mobilize CISF troops to duly and promptly respond during contingencies”.