Ganguly must step down to preserve public faith: Smriti Irani

Former Supreme Court judge A.K. Ganguly should step down as chief of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC) to restore people's faith in the rights panel, BJP MP Smriti Irani said here Monday.

"He leads a commission which seeks to dispense justice to those whose rights are infringed. I think the contrast is so stark that until he steps down, people will not believe that justice will be delivered," Irani told media persons here.

Demands for Ganguly's resignation have been gaining ground after a Supreme Court judges' panel probing the allegation of sexual harassment indicted Ganguly prima facie of an act of "unwelcome behaviour".

Irani also asked for initiating legal action against Ganguly.

"It is extremely important that an example is set to show that somebody who represented the judicial system is equal under the law," she added.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written twice to President Pranab Mukherjee seeking urgent appropriate action against Ganguly.

Meanwhile, a public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in Calcutta High Court seeking removal of Ganguly as the WBHRC chief.

Filed before the division bench of Chief Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, petitioner Rama Prasad Sarkar urged the court to take necessary steps so that people of the state do not lose faith in the rights panel.

The petition, in which the state government as well as the WBHRC have been made parties, will come up for hearing Thursday.