West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee broke her silence on the Sandeshkhali violence on Thursday, stating that she “needs to know the matter to address the issues that will be reported” and that she has “never supported injustice.” She also linked “RSS” to the incident. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the RSS of fomenting unrest in the North 24 Parganas district amid the serious accusations of sexual harassment of women in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal.
“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 CM said.
“They entered the area and targeted Sheikh Shahjahan through the Enforcement Directorate, and then they started the trouble there by getting people in,” stated the West Bengal Chief Minister, without mentioning the name of the TMC leader who has been accused of sexually abusing women in the Sandeshkhali area of North 24 Parganas district. Speaking on the state assembly floor, Banerjee outlined the steps her government had taken to ensure Sandeshkhali received justice.
She said that 17 people have been arrested so far in connection with the case.
“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,”
While contradicting herself, Mamata Banerjee said, “We will definitely address the issues that will be reported. I need to know the matter to act on it.”
Meanwhile, 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.
In the violent Sandeshkhali area of West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, women have been staging protests against the violence and sexual assault perpetrated by supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). A delegation from the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) is in the area to evaluate the situation and listen to the victims. According to Arun Haldar, the commission members came to this location to hear from victims after reading reports about Sandeshkhali.
