RG Kar Protests: Calcutta High Court rejects PIL against BJP's Bengal Bandh

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking to restrain the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) from observing a state-wide Bengal Bandh..BJP Bengal announced a 12-hour Bangla Bandh on August 28 to protest against atrocities by police on students demonstrating against the recent rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar hospital.The PIL said that the plea was filed to ensure that the everyday lives of ordinary citizens are not disrupted by illegal bandhs organized by political parties..A bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice H Bhattacharyya observed that the PIL was not maintainable since the petitioner Sanjoy Das was barred from filing any PIL by another order passed the same day in a different case. .The Court was referring to an order passed by it in another PIL filed by Das to restrain Justice Amrita Sinha from hearing cases pertaining to police action or inaction.That plea alleged bias on the ground that the judge's husband had tried to influence investigation into a criminal case. However, the Court was today informed that Das wanted to withdraw the plea as the prayers stand fulfilled. "We are not fools sitting here…we are not fools…never play with the court…if you want this (shows neck band) on your neck you better behave yourself," the Court said as it refused to permit withdrawal of the plea.The Court also recalled that the petitioner had earlier sought urgent hearing of the matter. There should be some sense of responsibility to the court, the Bench said."You have to be dealt with very severely. This is not playground. We will not hear you," the Court remarked. .While dealing with Das' prayer on merits, the Court said,"It has been conclusively held that the right of the Chief Justice in finalising the determination cannot be tinkered by a petitioner, and more particularly by an advocate practising before this court. The advice to look at the legal provisions fell on deaf ears. Therefore this writ petition is a clear abuse of process, and probably an attempt to intimidate the court, and to directly interfere with the jurisdiction of the Chief Justice."Therefore, the Court dismissed that PIL and restrained Das from filing any PILs in future. .When the PIL against Bengal Bandh came up, the Court referred to the order in the other PIL and proceeded to reject the petition.