The Aryavarth Express
Agency (West Bengal): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her heartbreak over the plight of women in Sandeshkhali, condemning the BJP for allegedly undermining their dignity. Speaking at a rally in Basirhat, Banerjee criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his phone call to Sandeshkhali protester and BJP candidate Rekha Patra, claiming that under BJP rule, India has the worst record for women’s safety and security.
Sandeshkhali, part of the Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency in North 24 Parganas district, has been troubled since February with allegations of sexual abuse and land grabs against arrested TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters. Banerjee stated, “I am deeply saddened by the humiliation faced by the women of Sandeshkhali. No one should dare to play with the dignity of women.”
Banerjee highlighted that recent videos surfaced on social media exposed the BJP’s conspiracy. These videos allegedly showed a local BJP leader coercing women to sign blank papers later filled as sexual assault complaints against TMC leaders. “The BJP should not play with the dignity of women,” Banerjee emphasized during her first visit to the constituency since the January flare-up.
She announced her plans to visit Sandeshkhali soon. “As soon as our candidate Haji Nurul wins Basirhat, my first visit will be to Sandeshkhali to meet the people,” she promised.
Banerjee accused PM Modi of engaging in orchestrated conversations for political gain. “PM calls someone, holds a scripted conversation, and broadcasts it. But how many people does he genuinely talk to? During his tenure, the country witnessed the highest crime rates against women, particularly in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh,” she said.
She asserted that both her party and the state government have acted swiftly whenever incidents occurred. Referring to the Calcutta High Court’s recent injunction against BJP advertisements violating the Model Code of Conduct, Banerjee accused the BJP of spreading falsehoods through misleading advertisements. “They spend crores on conspiracy and propaganda while neglecting essential funds like MGNREGA,” she said.
Since early May, four videos were released by a portal implicating BJP leaders in a conspiracy. In these videos, a man claiming to be a BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali accused Suvendu Adhikari of orchestrating the plot. Women who had filed rape complaints alleged they were coerced into signing blank papers by local BJP leaders. BJP candidate Rekha Patra was heard saying she didn’t know the rape survivors taken to meet the President. Another video showed a BJP leader admitting that over 70 women were paid Rs 2,000 each for participating in protests against TMC’s Shajahan Sheikh.
