BJP leader Adhikari trashes Mamata's charge, says Bengal man's suicide not linked to NRC
Kolkata (PTI): A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of spreading fear over the National Register of Citizens (NRC) following the alleged suicide of a man near Kolkata, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday claimed the death was unrelated to the NRC issue.
Adhikari claimed that the deceased, Pradeep Kar (57), whose body was found hanging at his residence in Panihati in North 24 Parganas district on Tuesday, had his name in the 2002 electoral rolls and had voted in that year's assembly elections in Panihati constituency.
Adhikari, a senior BJP leader and staunch critic of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, told reporters that the ruling party in the state was peddling lies over the tragic death of a man for political dividends.
"Kar's death is no way related to the issues of NRC and SIR (Special Intensive Revision). The unfortunate incident must be due to some other reasons," he told reporters here.
"The TMC has built false narratives in an insensitive manner. The people of Bengal will give a befitting reply to such propaganda," the Nandigram MLA said.
After inaugurating a Jagaddhatri Puja pandal in Birati area near Kolkata, Adhikari said 12 other states and Union territories where SIR will be implemented have not raised any objections and "only Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek are peeved over the move aimed at ensuring free and fair vote and weed out infiltrators and illegal voters."
"Even the RJD is not raising any more protests after initial hullabaloo over SIR as they also understand the importance and benefits of rolls revision," he said.
"However, the Bengal duo is against SIR as they are afraid of losing the Bangladeshi infiltrator vote bank, based on which they had won past elections," he alleged.
Asked to comment on Abhishek Banerjee's threat to organise a mass protest against the CEC in Delhi, Adhikari said, "If they dare to go to Delhi, let them leave the slippers here and we will make them run along the banks of river Yamuna," he said.
Adhikari called upon 'Hindus' to shun their "apprehension about local toughs intimidating them, come out of their comfort zones to enjoy a heavy midnight lunch at homes on the polling day and come out in large numbers to cast votes. If 85 per cent Hindus cast their votes, rest assured, this undemocratic, jihadi-appeasing Mamata regime will be dislodged from power in 2026."
He also accused the TMC-run government of turning a blind eye to reports of desecration of idols in several parts of Bengal in recent times and the alleged inaction of police.
Condemning what she described as the BJP's "politics of fear and division," the CM alleged on Tuesday that the party's campaign around the NRC has created panic among people.
"It shakes me to the very core to imagine how, for years, BJP has tormented innocent citizens with the threat of NRC, spreading lies, stoking panic and weaponising insecurity for votes," Banerjee said in a social media post.
She charged the BJP with turning "constitutional democracy into a theatre of fear", and said the "tragic death" was the result of "venomous propaganda".
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
