In a controversial move, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders including IT cell head Amit Malviya have shared a video on social media that shows a brutal flogging of a woman, claiming that the incident recently occurred in West Bengal and accusing the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) of inaction, however, TMC denied the allegations.
Soon after the BJP leaders and their supporters started sharing the video mentioning names of different people in their caption and accusing West Bengal Cheif Minister Mamata Banerjee of imposing ” Taliban rule” in the state, the TMC debunked the BJP’s claims, stating that the video is unrelated and old which dates back to 2021.
The viral video
The viral video purportedly shows the woman being overturned and lifted in the air, as the men mercilessly thrash them. While two hold the hands and legs of the victim, two others viciously blow strikes at them with wooden batons. The assault appears to have taken place in a closed room.
The victim is heard pleading, screaming and writhing in pain as the men constantly strike one blow after another.
BJP shared the misleading video
The official handle of BJP West Bengal accused them in the state of inaction over the assault. “Emerging video from Taltala Club, Kamarhati: Shocking reports allege Jayanta Singh, a close associate of TMC MLA Madan Mitra, violently attacked a defenceless girl. This barbaric act by a government claiming to champion women’s rights is a disgraceful stain on humanity. Immediate investigation and justice are non-negotiable.”
BJP IT cell Amit Malviya who has a history of sharing videos and images that are either doctored or taken out of context to suit the party’s narrative also shared the video and accused the TMC MLA Madan Mitra, and his “gang”, of whipping women in public.
“Here is another horrific video (13 sec) of the same TMC men, brutalising a hapless girl in their ‘Insaf Sabha’, in Taltala Cub in Kamarhati Assembly. This happened some six months ago in Dum Dum, which is not some remote area but part of the Greater Kolkata region,” he wrote.
BJP spokesperson also shared the video and wrote, “Another Horrific Talibani video from Bengal after Chopra talibani flogging by Tajmul. Will leader of hypocrisy Rahul Gandhi say a word or visit? What about INDI ALLIANCE NETAS?”.
https://twitter.com/Shehzad_Ind/status/1810507919831470103
TMC debunked the video
Responding to the viral video, the TMC IT wing claimed that the BJP members are intentionally targeting the Mamata Banerjee-led government by sharing old and misleading content to defame the party after getting defeated in the state.
“Debunking the BJP IT cell’s propaganda! This video is from March 2021, featuring Jayant Singh and associates. Two individuals in the video are already in jail. The victim’s identity is being verified, but it may be a male. It’s clear that @BJP4Bengal, after facing rejection in West Bengal, is desperate to tarnish @AITCofficial’s image and defame the state by sharing old, unrelated videos,” wrote TMC West Bengal IT cell head Nilanjan Das.
The video of the public flogging case came to light on the heels of a similar incident in which a man was seen beating up a couple with a bamboo stick allegedly over extra-marital affairs in Chopra in West Bengal’s Uttar Dinajpur district.
In the more recent Chopra flogging case, an FIR has been filed against former CPI(M) MP Mohammed Selim and BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya for allegedly sharing the video of the assault on social media, which the victim claimed defamed her. Shortly after, the BJP members accused the TMC government of “intimidating” the woman and using her to shield criminals and target political opponents.
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