Kolkata, Jan 20 (IANS) Amid the recent tension and violence for two days last week at Beldanga in Murshidabad district of West Bengal reportedly over the alleged murder of a local migrant worker hailing from the same district in Jharkhand, the state’s Governor C.V. Ananda Bose, on Tuesday, issued a security advisory for the Mamata Banerjee-led state government to prevent violence and its escalation in the future.
According to a statement issued from the Governor’s office, the experiences in the recent past have shown that disruptive forces could mobilise hundreds of motivated and violent protesters in a span of a few hours and such rapid escalations cause immense hardship to the citizenry and unsettle normal routine, apart from posing a threat to life and property.
Therefore, in the light of such a situation, the Governor had suggested an advisory for the consideration of competent authorities to prevent violence, its intensification, spiralling out of control, and resultant disruptions.
In total, 15 points have been suggested by Governor Ananda Bose in his advisory to the state government, the main points being strengthening in intelligence mechanism through coordination between Central and state intelligence agencies and local network for informers, putting in place a system of gathering and deciphering of real time intelligence, study of the current burning issues, and focus on the current focal points and issues of conflicts that have stirred the people.
“West Bengal has extensive porous international borders, and sensitive issues come up on either side of the border. A joint intelligence mechanism furnished by the Centre and the state may effectively be in place,” the statement from the office of the Governor added.
The other points mentioned in the Governor’s advisory to the state government include maintenance of vigilance and proactive patrolling, engagement with communities to build trust, putting in place effective deterrents to prevent escalation of law and order situation, ensuring swift action against provocateurs, coordination with local leaders to de-escalate tensions, and enhancement of surveillance in sensitive districts.
Governor Ananda Bose had also called for prompt response to distress calls, exercising of restrain crowd control, and engagement with local leaders to prevent escalation or to de-escalate a law and order situation.
–IANS
src/khz
