Siliguri: Rekha Sharma, the chairperson of National Commission
for Women, will be in the Darjeeling hills for three days from Sunday
to examine allegations of abuse by law-enforcers during the statehood
agitation last year.
Sources said Sharma's visit followed complaints to the
commission by some residents who claimed violation of women's rights and
police atrocities during and after the statehood agitation. The Bimal
Gurung lobby of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha had levelled allegations of
abuse against its women members by security forces.
After arriving in Bagdogra, Sharma will stay in Kurseong and
meet common people, including some of the complainants. The next day,
she will go to Mirik and meet some families there.
"The chairperson will also visit jails, conduct an inquiry
into police atrocities and examine cases where women have been named as
accused and are behind bars. There are reports that many women, arrested
during the agitation, are in correctional homes for six months or
more," said a source.
Sharma will visit Darjeeling and Kalimpong and return to Delhi on
April 18. Recently, a Darjeeling resident had accused a police offer of
threatening to torture women members of his family, following which a
complaint was sent to the commission.
"There are some other incidents which have come to the
knowledge of the commission. That is why the chairperson's visit is
important," the source added.
The allegations had prompted Darjeeling MP and Union minister
S.S. Ahluwalia to accuse the state police of violating human rights,
specifically those of women supporters of the Morcha, then headed by
Gurung.
As the shutdown continued in hills, a number of women
supporters and leaders of the party were arrested by the police for
perpetrating violence. Many of them are still behind bars.
The Telegraph