Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today on Wednesday (March 6) to a group of women from Sandeshkhali on the sidelines of the BJP’s “Nari Shakti Bandhan” in Barasat in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district.
The women, many of whom protested against alleged systematic sexual assault and land grabbing by Trinamool Congress strongmen Sheikh Shahjahan, Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar, were brought into the venue from the island of Sandeshkhali, which is about 82 kilometres away from Barasat.
The state BJP unit organised for people from the island to be brought by boat and buses to attend Modi’s rally in Barasat.
Modi spoke to the women at a closed enclosure behind the podium which was not accessible to the media.
The women conveyed their grievances, including allegations of sexual assault, mental torture, wage confiscation and physical abuse.
Speaking to the media after the interaction, a woman stated that they had specifically requested for the deployment of security forces controlled by the Union government in the island, citing collusion between local Trinamool Congress leaders and the police.
Notably, no other BJP leader was permitted to participate in Modi’s discussion with the women.
The BJP asserted that the prime minister had assured the women of addressing their concerns.
Addressing the crowd during the rally, Modi again raised the Sandeshkhali issue and declared that the impact of the “Sandeshkhali storm” has to reach every part of Bengal.
Focusing on the women’s vote – women are a key vote bloc of Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee – Modi talked about ‘nari shakti’ (woman power) and asserted that it has the power to topple the Trinamool government in the state.
Modi also termed the events involving women in Sandeshkhali as a “matter of shame”.
Reacting to Modi’s address, Trinamool spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien spoke about inaction against the BJP MP and former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is accused of sexually harassing wrestlers.
“Why no action against [a] BJP MP charged with sexually harassing wrestlers?” asked O’Brien.
In another development, the state crime investigation department handed over custody of Sheikh Shahjahan to the Central Bureau of Investigation following an order by the Calcutta high court.
The court also directed the West Bengal government to transfer the investigation into the attack on Enforcement Directorate officials earlier this year to the agency.
Translated from the Bengali original by Aparna Bhattacharya.
