In a landmark ruling the Calcutta high court on Monday gave CPI(M) MLA Gouranga Chatterjee permission to file a criminal case against the Trinamul Congress members who had allegedly assaulted him on the floor of the state Assembly. The court also gave him the clearance to file a medical negligence case against doctors and authorities of the SSKM Hospital.
On December 11, Mr Chatterjee was assaulted when he tried to save another Left Front MLA, Deblina Hembram, from some ruling party members. He suffered head injuries and was taken to the SSKM Hospital. However, the doctors said his injuries were not of serious nature and he did not need admission. Later, it was found that there was a crack in his skull and he had to receive treatment first at a private nursing home in the city and later at AIIMS in Delhi.
Not only the ruling of Justice Dipankar Dutta was important, but the observation he made while giving this ruling was equally important.
Justice Dutta said that people elect legislators as their representatives with the expectation that they would behave in a civil manner. Justice Dutta said it was for this reason that the MLAs were addressed as honourable members. He pointed out that if an MLA is aggrieved inside the Assembly then he has the right to seek justice. Voicing his displeasure over the fisticuffs, which broke out in the state Assembly on December 11, Justice Dutta asked the Advocate General what measures the Speaker of the Assembly who is the custodian of the House took during and after the December 11 bedlam.
Welcoming the court ruling, Mr Chatterjee said that he would file an FIR against those who had assaulted him in the House and also lodge complaint against the doctors and authorities of the SSKM Hospital.
Voicing his happiness over the ruling, senior CPI(M) leader Anisur Rahman said that it vindicated his party’s stand. He recalled that the Left Front members had sought to move an adjournment motion on the mushrooming of chit funds in the state which was rejected by Speaker Biman Banerjee.