In a fierce condemnation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee regarding the Sandeshkhali issue, Union Minister Smriti Irani made startling allegations on Monday, accusing the TMC chief of being associated with the ‘genocide’ of Hindus.
“The women in Sandeshkhali are pleading for assistance and protection. Mamata Bandopadhyay is reputed for her involvement in the genocide of Hindu women, allowing her party members to select Hindu married women to be subjected to repeated rape night after night within the TMC office,” Irani asserted during her media address in the national capital.
“Women from the SC/ST community in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali have informed the media that TMC party members visit homes to identify attractive women. These women have disclosed to journalists the intentions of TMC leaders and their discussions with the husbands of those seeking help. TMC leaders have told the husbands of these Hindu women, ‘You may retain the title of husband, but you will have no rights,'” she added.
The Union Minister further stated, “The Bengali women have informed journalists about the TMC’s actions, ‘They will take us night after night. Until the TMC members are satisfied, you have no escape.'”
“The question arises, can we, as citizens, remain silent spectators? Who is this individual accused by the women of Sandeshkhali of mass raping Bengali Hindu women? I raise this concern because when the women of Sandeshkhali spoke to local media, they emphasized being identified as married and Hindu. Sheikh Shahjahan’s identity has puzzled many until now,” she elaborated.
Smriti Irani also highlighted a previous incident where Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers were assaulted last month in the North 24 Parganas district while attempting to search the premises of TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan in connection with an alleged ration scam.
“Where is Sheikh Shahjahan? And for those women of Sandeshkhali who came forward to voice their grievances to the media, Section 144 is now imposed in Sandeshkhali to prevent them from gathering and speaking to the media,” she added.
The union minister urged the media to draw attention to the reported incidents in Sandeshkhali village.
“To those in the media who operate with freedom and impartiality, heed the voices of the women from Sandeshkhali and inquire, where is Sheikh Shahjahan? Why does Mamata allow TMC henchmen to conduct door-to-door searches to identify Hindu women for continuous rape?” she concluded.
Earlier, local residents, particularly women, staged protests in various parts of Sandeshkhali, carrying slippers and demanding the arrest of TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh in connection with an alleged land ration allotment scam and purported rape incidents. Reports indicate that Section 144 has been imposed in certain sections of the village following the locals’ protests.