Prime Minister Narendra Modi is anticipated to conduct another rally in Barasat, a subdivision situated in the North 24 Parganas district, in the first week of March. This location is adjacent to Sandeshkhali village, where purported acts of violence against women have been reported involving TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his associates.
Meanwhile, villagers from the Bermajur area of Sandeshkhali clashed with the police on Friday as they tried to prevent police vehicles from passing through the area.
“We did not stop them initially. We just wanted to talk to them about why they were detaining our boys without any charge. They did not listen. The police vehicle ran over a woman’s feet. We want to talk to them,” a women protester said speaking to media.
“Is there any law and order in this country? Police tried to run over a girl. If the public had not known the girl would have died,” another protester said, speaking to media. “Sheikh Shahjahan, Sirajuddin have confiscated all our plots of land. We were protesting. Police forcefully drove through protesters. One of the protesters broke their leg in the process,” another protester said.
“The people who are being looted, Police are committing atrocities against them. This is the truth of Bengal. Nobody is safe here…We are being stopped from going there because they don’t want the truth to come out. Women here are trying to speak to us but Police are scaring them away,” West Bengal BJP Mahila Morcha President Falguni Patra said speaking to media.
In the meantime, South Bengal Additional Director General, Supratim Sarkar and Deputy Inspector General of Barasat Range, Bhaskar Mukherjee reached the spot with their team to pacify the villagers.
“We are saying this in pain. Why are they (Shah Jahan Sheikh’s aides) breaking into our houses? They are threatening my in-laws. Why are they doing this?” an aggrieved woman protester said as the police tried to pacify the situation. While the police reasoned that they were taking steps to solve the situation, she said, “You are coming now. Where were you earlier?”
Women demonstrators in Sandeshkhali are demanding accountability for purported abuses by TMC figurehead Sheikh Shahjahan and his associates. A large number of women in Sandeshkhali have leveled accusations against Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh and his allies, alleging “land-grabbing and sexual assault” under duress. Shahjahan remains at large, as both state law enforcement and central agencies have been unsuccessful in locating him.
The Calcutta High Court has recently directed a joint Special Investigation Team (SIT) involving both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the West Bengal Police to look into an attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in Sandeshkhali.