Mamata Banerjee on Saturday urged the judiciary to safeguard the country’s Constitution and democracy, speaking in the presence of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and other senior judges.
“The judiciary is the custodian of the Indian Constitution,” the chief minister said at the inauguration of a permanent building for the Circuit Bench of Calcutta High Court in Jalpaiguri.
“I would request the Chief Justice and other members of the judiciary to protect our Constitution, democracy, history and geography from disaster. Let the judiciary work for the people. We should work for unity.”
The chief minister’s remarks came two days after the Supreme Court issued notices to her and several senior police officers of Bengal on a petition from the Enforcement Directorate.
Accompanied by these officers, Mamata had on January 8 stormed the sites of ED raids on her party’s election strategist, I-PAC, and carried away files. The ED has petitioned the top court for a directive to the CBI to register FIRs against them for theft, dacoity, robbery, trespass and attempt to murder.
At the Jalpaiguri event, Mamata repeated her longstanding allegation that the Narendra Modi government was misusing central agencies for political ends.
Mamata said: “Agencies are being used deliberately to malign and defame. I am not saying this for myself, but to save the people.”
“The judiciary should act to protect democracy and the Constitution. Media trials have become a new trend, and this practice should stop.”
Opposition leaders have for years been accusing the Modi government of using agencies such as the ED, CBI and the income-tax department to harass and intimidate critics and political opponents, particularly beforeelections.
Mamata said the central government had stopped funding the development of judicial infrastructure in Bengal.
Addressing Union law and justice minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, present on the dais, she said: “My law minister, please don’t mind, but the Government of India has stopped providing funds. Yet, we have spent nearly ₹1,200 crore on developing judicial infrastructure across the state.”
Mamata highlighted several of her government’s initiatives, including the establishment of 88 fast-track courts, seven Pocso courts, four labour courts, 19 human rights courts, six new district courts and eight sub-divisional courts.
She said land had been provided to Calcutta High Court in Rajarhat-Newtown towards additional infrastructure and a law academy.
The permanent building of the Circuit Bench in Jalpaiguri has been built on a 40.08-acre plot at an estimated cost of ₹500 crore.
Chief Justice of India Kant and Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Sujoy Paul addressed the gathering. They said the Circuit Bench would improve north Bengal’s access to justice. “It will help provide speedy justice to the people of north Bengal,” JusticePaul said.