In Bengal assembly, Mamata Banerjee seeks to link RSS to Sandeshkhali unrest

RSS is engaged in social work and has nothing to do with politics, said RSS spokesperson Ajay Kumar Nandi in his rebuttal to Mamata Banerjee

KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday sought to link the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ideological fount, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, to the continuing trouble in North 24 Parganas district’s Sandeshkhali area where fresh prohibitory orders were imposed on Wednesday.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee speaking during the budget session of the West Bengal Assembly in Kolkata on Thursday. (ANI)

“The RSS has a shelter in Sandeshkhali. Riot broke out in the same area around seven to eight years ago. Among the places prone to riots in West Bengal, Sandeshkhali is one,” Banerjee told the West Bengal assembly on Thursday in her first detailed statement on the protests over the last week following allegations of assault, harassment and even sexual abuse against local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders.

“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,” she said.

Sandeshkhali first hit the headlines on January 5 when an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team was attacked by a mob when it went to raid the home of TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan in connection with the multi crore public distribution scam. Even as Shahjahan has evaded arrest, since February 7, villagers led by women in Sandeshkhali have held violent protests, demanding the arrests of local TMC leaders, alleging harassment and land grabbing.

Banerjee has also attacked the BJP, saying the opposition party had brought in people from outside to create trouble for Sheikh Shahjahan, a block-level TMC leader.

“Those who were posing before the camera wearing masks were held. They were BJP workers. Outsiders were brought in to spread tension in the area. The target was Sheikh Shahjahan. ED first entered the area targeting him. After ousting everyone they created a rift between the local tribal and minority population,” Banerjee said.

BJP leader Rahul Sinha mounted a counter-offensive. “ED did a wonderful job, I would say. It is because of the ED that Shajahan was forced to flee. This gave a chance to hundreds of village women to speak up about the sexual harassment they faced over more than a decade. Banerjee is a woman chief minister. Can’t she feel the plight of these women who were sexually harassed by her party men? RSS – BJP come much later,” said Rahul Sinha, BJP leader.

The West Bengal police have rebutted allegations of sexual harassment. “No allegations about rape have so far been received during the enquiries since conducted by the state women commission, an all-women 10-member fact-finding team led by DIG of CID and the district police,” the state police said in a statement.

West Bengal police, however, issued a statement refuting allegations of any sexual harassment. Police said that misinformation was being spread to mislead people.

“No allegations about rape have so far been received during the enquiries since conducted by the state women commission, an all-women 10-member fact-finding team led by DIG of CID and the district police,” the statement said.

NCW said the victims were being threatened by the police from reporting instances of sexual and physical harassment.

On Thursday a team of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes led by the panel’s chairman Arun Halder also turned up at Sandeshkhali. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, was, however, prevented from going to the areas.

.