Barrackpore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday alleged that the TMC was “threatening the tormented women” of Sandeshkhali and “trying every trick” to protect the culprits, while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said “BJP conspiracy’s” has become public and accused the PM of “spreading lies”.
The Sandeshkhali issue kept West Bengal’s political cauldron boiling as fresh videos accused local BJP leaders of “orchestrating the entire controversy”.
However, protesting BJP workers, mostly women, reportedly beat up a TMC supporter while demonstrating against the “circulation of purported videos aimed at tarnishing the image” of local saffron party leaders.
Modi, addressing rallies in Barrackpore, Hooghly, Arambagh, and Howrah Lok Sabha seats, alleged that the TMC was trying every trick to protect the culprits.
“All of us have seen what the TMC has done with the sisters and mothers of Sandeshkhali. First, the police tried to save the culprits, now the TMC has started a new game. TMC goons are threatening the sisters of Sandeshkhali, just because the oppressor’s name is Shahjahan Sheikh… They are trying their best to save and protect him from legal action. Don’t be afraid of TMC,” he said at a rally in Barrackpore.
Addressing another rally in Hooghly, Modi said, “TMC is using every trick in Sandeshkhali, but none of the oppressors will be spared.”
His remarks came in the backdrop of multiple purported videos surfacing on social media that claimed that a local BJP party leader made several women of Sandeshkhali sign blank papers, which were later filled up as complaints of sexual assault against TMC leaders.
The prime minister, however, did not directly refer to those videos.
PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of those videos.
In response, Mamata Banerjee accused Modi of continuing to “peddle lies” about Sandeshkhali and questioned his silence on allegations of molestation against Governor CV Ananda Bose.
Addressing an election rally at Amdanga in North 24 Parganas district, which is a part of Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency, Banerjee, in an apparent reference to the videos, said, “The PM is still peddling lies about Sandeshkhali. He should be ashamed as the BJP’s conspiracy has now become public.”
Since last Saturday, several videos became viral on social media, with the first one showing a man who claimed to be a BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali was heard saying that the Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, was behind the “whole conspiracy”.
The second video was about women, who had earlier filed rape complaints, claiming that they were made to sign blank papers by BJP leaders and coerced to go to the police station.
The third video showed the BJP candidate from Basirhat constituency and Sandeshkhali protestor Rekha Patra claiming that she “doesn’t know the rape survivors who were taken to Delhi to meet the President”.
In the fourth video, released on Saturday night, a BJP leader was heard saying that over 70 women had received Rs 2,000 each for taking part in protests against TMC strongman Shajahan Sheikh who is accused of sexual assault and land-grabbing.
PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos.
Banerjee, meanwhile, alleged that the Centre’s inaction against the governor, who is accused of molestation by a Raj Bhavan staffer, showed the BJP’s “true anti-woman character”.
“Why did the PM not ask the governor to resign?” she asked.
“I am facing a constitutional crisis. If I have to visit Raj Bhavan, what should I do? I am in a dilemma,” she added, claiming that women are now afraid to go to Raj Bhavan.
A contractual woman employee of the Raj Bhavan had lodged a written complaint with the Kolkata Police in the first week of May, alleging that she was molested by the governor.
The governor had described the allegation as “absurd drama”, and said that none would be able to deter him from his “determined efforts to expose corruption and curb violence”.
Meanwhile, fresh protests erupted in Sandeshkhali, with BJP workers, mainly women, reportedly confronting a TMC activist.
The situation turned violent, with some women protesters allegedly assaulting the activist in the presence of Sandeshkhali’s TMC MLA Sukumar Mahato.
The protestors, led by Rekha Patra, the BJP candidate for the Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency, gathered in front of the Sandeshkhali police station and protested against the circulation of “fake” videos.
Mahato attempted to intervene but was allegedly pushed aside by the protestors.
Mahato pointed fingers at Patra and her BJP associates, accusing them of orchestrating the violence to tarnish West Bengal’s image. He asserted that despite BJP’s attempts to disrupt their campaign, the TMC did not retaliate.
Eventually, the police intervened and rescued the TMC activists and the leaders, dispersing the protestors.
The TMC has filed a complaint with the Election Commission against Rekha Sharma, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), accusing her of being a key figure in the events in Sandeshkhali.
In its letter to the EC, the TMC alleged that Sharma, along with a BJP leader, has committed serious offences against the women of Sandeshkhali and the overall electorate.
Notably, the National Commission for Women (NCW) had recommended to President Droupadi Murmu that the President’s Rule be imposed in West Bengal over alleged atrocities on women and violence in Sandeshkhali.
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