KOLKATA: Amid a political storm over the alleged sexual harassment of women in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said she has “never allowed injustice” and accused the BJP of inciting trouble on the island in North 24 Parganas district. I have never supported injustice. I sent the state commission and administration there. 17 people have been arrested so far…Our women’s team is present there. A women police team is visiting people at their doorsteps to listen to their grievances. We will definitely address the issues that will be reported. I need to know the matter to act on it. RSS has a base there. Riots took place there 7-8 years back. It is one of the vulnerable riot spots. We handled the situation strongly during Saraswati Puja or else there were other plans,” the Bengal CM said.

On Sandeshkhali violence, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says “I have never supported injustice. I sent the state commission and administration there. 17 people have been arrested so far…Our women’s team is present there. A women police team is visiting people at their… pic.twitter.com/n9ZPR7BBnC
— ANI (@ANI) February 15, 2024

The Trinamool Congress supremo made these remarks in the state  Assembly, shortly after the main Opposition BJP staged a walkout over the raging issue. Blaming the BJP for the unrest in the area, Mamata said the Centre had targeted local Trinamool leader Sheikh Shahjahan through the Enforcement Directorate. “First, they entered the area and targeted Sheikh Shahjahan through ED and then they started the trouble thereby getting people in. There is an RSS base in Sandeshkhali. There were riots earlier too,” she said. 

Scuffle Breaks Out Between BJP, Bengal Police

Meanwhile, a scuffle broke out between the police and Bharatiya Janata Party workers during the BJP’s protest in West Bengal’s Siliguri district on Thursday over the Sandeshkhali incident. Women in Sandeshkhali have been agitating for the last few days over alleged atrocities committed against them by TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his aides.

Tension simmered in the Sandeshkhali area of North 24 Parganas district’s Basirhat subdivision on Tuesday during a protest by BJP workers led by state party president Sukanta Majumder against the alleged sexual harassment of women. Majumdar sustained injuries during the police lathi-charge as a scuffle broke out between the police and party workers.

In connection with the violence, the BJP also formed a six-member committee of Union Ministers and MPs to visit Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North Pargana district and collect information about the alleged incidents of sexual harassment and violence against women there.

Section 144 Reimposed

The West Bengal government has reimposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in and around 500 metres of area in seven-gram panchayats, including Sandeshkhali. Sector 144 has been imposed in the area till February 19 to maintain law and order in view of the agitation by the BJP over allegations of sexual harassment by women in Sandeshkhali block.

The Trinamool Congress has, however, blamed the BJP for trying to vitiate the atmosphere in Sandeshkhali.”The only motive of the BJP was to create issues and indulge in hooliganism while going to Sandeshkhali or reaching near the place. Stone pelting ensued, and people were injured there. They (BJP) say that women must be respected…Smriti Irani made instigating statements. The TMC condemns the conduct of the BJP, under the leadership of Sukanta Majumdar,” TMC Spokesperson Sashi Panja said.

After listening to the grievances of women who have been protesting against the violence and sexual assault by the supporters of Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh, National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) chairman Arun Haldar said that he will submit a report of the violence-hit Sandeshkhali area of West Bengal to President Droupadi Murmu on Friday at 11 am.

A delegation from the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) is in the violence-hit Sandeshkhali area of West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district to assess the situation and listen to the victims as women have been protesting against the violence and sexual assault by supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).