West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday blamed Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for the unrest in violence-hit Sandeshkhali village and claimed “there were other plans” during Saraswati Puja.
“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 Trinamool Congress supremo said.
Stressing her commitment to justice, Banerjee outlined steps taken by her administration in the wake of violence in Sandeshkhali village, which has been on the edge since last week over allegations of sexual harassment and land capture against local TMC leaders.
"I have never supported injustice," Banerjee said in the Bengal assembly.
She said that the state Women's Commission and administrative officials had been dispatched to the area and 17 individuals arrested so far. She also highlighted the presence of a women's police team actively engaging with residents to address grievances.
“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,” the TMC supremo said.
What is happening in Sandeshkhali?
Sandeshkhali, a village in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, has found itself engulfed in a tumultuous political storm for nearly a month. The spark igniting this turmoil was a raid conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at the residence of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh on January 5, as part of an investigation into a multi-crore ration distribution scam.
{{/usCountry}}Sandeshkhali, a village in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, has found itself engulfed in a tumultuous political storm for nearly a month. The spark igniting this turmoil was a raid conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at the residence of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh on January 5, as part of an investigation into a multi-crore ration distribution scam.
{{/usCountry}}Shajahan's men in the locality not only prevented the ED officers from entering his home but also assaulted them before the central probe agency's men managed to escape. Shajahan has been at large since then, but his close associates claimed that he is "very much in control of things" in the area.
The aftermath of the ED raid saw a surge of allegations from local women, accusing Shajahan and his cohorts of forcibly grabbing land for prawn cultivation, and subjecting them to years of torture and sexual harassment. The women said that the absence of Shajahan has given them the courage to speak about the torture they have been undergoing for several years.
Women from the village took to the streets with bamboo sticks and brooms, demanding the immediate arrest of Shajahan and his associates. Tensions escalated when protesters burnt down poultry farms allegedly owned by Shajahan's associate, Shibaprasad Hazra.
This sparked a political blame game, with opposition parties accusing the ruling TMC of protecting the accused, while TMC leaders countered with allegations of political conspiracy ahead of elections.
Several commissions, including the state Women's Commission and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, visited Sandeshkhali to assess the situation. However, their efforts were met with hindrances from authorities citing prohibitory orders. The state administration has initiated a probe into the incidents, appointing a 10-member team of senior IPS officers to investigate further.