Rizwanur Rahman - Politicians' Statements and Rioting

Politicians' Statements and Rioting

The prominent Communist Party of India (Marxist) Politburo member Brinda Karat has stated that

"Police officers here were transferred over the death of Rizwanur Rahman in keeping with the “progressive culture” that existed in West Bengal. ..We are with Rizwanur Rahman’s family and want justice and action against those found guilty ”

In a statement dated October 15, State Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), Mr Soumen has stated:

"Rizwanur was murdered as he had dared to fall in love and later marry a Hindu girl ..The chief minister is not able to shield the guilty officers of Kolkata Police because of the public outrage against administrative high-handedness."

Front partner Communist Party of India (CPI) has issued a state secretariat resolution stating:

“The youth was said to be well educated, decent and belonged to a cultured family. His unnatural death has shaken a large number of people. The public outrage following his death should not be undermined. The intervention of the Kolkata police in a marriage between two adults was not a healthy signal.”

Kshiti Goswami of the Revolutionary Socialist Party demanded a judicial inquiry into the matter. Forward Bloc Secretary Ashok Ghosh described the incident as “shocking and shameful”. He said an inquiry commission should be instituted immediately so that the Kolkata police cannot influence investigations into Rehman’s death.

All India Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee visiting the Rizvanur's family and held the city police directly responsible for the death. It organized a public rally in the city where Ms Banerjee and Rizwanur's relatives accused the CPI(M) leadership of "offering money" to them to hush up the case. Mamata Banerjee has said:

It has been 23 days since Rizwanur died. Today is the holy day of Id and we have been out greeting people on the occasion of Id. But in this neighbourhood no one is celebrating Id for obvious reasons. There have been no arrests and no progress in the case, "the foolish arrogant chief minister is thinking whether it is the right protocol for him to go and see the mother of the murdered son.