West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendhu Adhikari is all set to speak on the Sandeshkhali unrest at an event in New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Saturday. State BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar will also attend the discussion on ‘Shattering silence: Unveiling the reality of political violence against women in West Bengal’ organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
An NHRC team visited trouble-torn Sandeshkhali for the second consecutive day on Saturday to investigate into allegations of land-grabbing by some TMC leaders.
A CPI(M) delegation led by Minakshi Mukhopadhyay also visited the strife-hit region in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal even as an uneasy calm prevailed with police patrolling the area. Mukhopadhyay, along with party leader Palash Das, visited various households and spoke to the locals.
ADG (South Bengal) Supratim Sarkar also made a visit to the area.
Fresh protests rocked the trouble-torn village in North 24 Parganas district on Friday, where locals torched the property of accused TMC leaders and held demonstrations against the delay in arresting the main accused, Shahjahan Sheikh. During the unrest, residents barricaded roads with logs and set them on fire to block the entry of police vehicles into the Jhupkhali area of Sandeshkhali. Tensions persisted for the second consecutive day, with reports of TMC leaders being assaulted.
Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Kumar, for the second consecutive day, went to the troubled region and pledged firm action against those responsible for the unrest.
The unrest in Sandeshkhali revolves around allegations levelled against Sheikh and his supporters concerning land encroachment and sexual assault. Sheikh has remained elusive since a mob attack on Enforcement Directorate officials in Sandeshkhali on January 5.
Here are the latest developments in the issue:
- The political showdown also intensified over the Sandeshkhali issue after the Bengal Police stopped women leaders of the BJP from going to the trouble-torn region and, subsequently, detained them. The BJP alleged that Sheikh was getting “secular protection” and the TMC hitting back, accusing it of aggravating the situation by foiling every effort to restore peace and normalcy in Sandeshkhali.
- Amid growing criticism the party faces over the unrest in Sandeshkhali, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee is likely to address a rally in the troubled riverine region in the second week of March. TMC sources indicated that Banerjee, accompanied by senior party leaders, will take the stage at the rally.
- BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari likened the situation in Sandeshkhali to Nandigram, where a movement against “forcible” land acquisition by the then Left Front government in 2007-08 catapulted the TMC to power in 2011.
- Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC are still in force in certain parts of Sandeshkhali
- While two key aides of Sheikh, Shibaprasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar, have been arrested with the latter being suspended by the party, the TMC convener of Sandeshkhali assembly seat himself remains at large. According to TMC sources, Banerjee has expressed confidence in the West Bengal Police’s ability to apprehend Sheikh.
- The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday filed a fresh case against Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shahjahan Sheikh in an old cheating case related to land encroachment and conducted searches across West Bengal at several locations linked to his associates.
- The ED also conducted searches at six spots linked, including Kolkata, Howrah and North 24 Parganas, at the houses of businessmen and others “close” to Sheikh.
- Amit Malviya termed Sandeshkhali as a city which symbolises with the culture of rape, and land grab. “Now, Gosaba, another island in the Sunderbans, erupts in protest against Ranjan Mondal, local TMC leader. He is accused of grabbing land of poor villagers.”posted on microblogging site, X.
- While, Sukanta Majumdar said that people of the city have been systematically oppressed by TMC. He added that TMC have backed goons for years.
- After interacting with the locals of Sandeshkhali, West Bengal Minister Partha Bhowmick said that they have interacted with the locals. Lands will be given back to those from whom it was snatched, while DM has also set up camps in several districts. Bhowmick added that no woman has raised the issue of assault.”
- Sujit Bose said that they will solve the problems of the people and have asked them to file a complaint. “We will again visit this place. Action will be taken against all those who are culprits.” said Bose.
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