SANDESHKHALI SCANDAL 2024 : A DIRE ATMOSPHERE SURROUNDING BENGAL’S RULING PARTY

Sandeshkhali, a village in West Bengal situated in it’s North 24 Parganas district has been in news since the attack on ED officials during the month of January leading to the SANDESHKHALI SCANDAL. Women of Sandeshkhali have put rape allegations on Sheikh Shah Jahan, a TMC leader creating a dire atmosphere surrounding Bengal’s ruling party. They have alleged that the TMC leaders would visit their houses in the name of “surveying” and take them to their party offices nocturnally, then rape them. Sexual assaults and torture over the common people there had become as if a ritual. The case has dominated headlines in India for weeks and has sparked a political storm, with two heavyweights – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and firebrand West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s TMC – locking horns over the allegations. While the BJP accuses the TMC of delaying Mr Sheikh’s arrest despite his alleged excesses, the TMC denies this and accuses Mr Modi’s party of stirring tensions in the island, months ahead of the general elections. Both the parties claim their tug of war is to ensure the wellbeing of Sandeshkhali residents.

Source- ( INDIA TODAY) https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatoday.in%2Findia%2Fstory%2Fsandeshkhali-protest-news-west-bengal-police-sheikh-shahjahan-brother-sheikh-siraj-trinbamool-congress-2507031-2024-02-26&psig=AOvVaw1MyBOg5lBrAeokXGsdf05R&ust=1714371437631000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CAQQjB1qFwoTCLChlbeh5IUDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAQ

A reign of terror

    On January 5 ED (Enforcement Directorate) officials were attacked after they had gone to raid the house of a TMC strongman Sheikh Shahjahan regarding an alleged ration scam. He was arrested by the CBI on January 25 as per the orders of Calcutta High Court for absconding as hundreds and attacking the ED officials resulting in critical injuries of the officers. Sandeshkhali is close to Bangladesh border and as per allegations most of the inhabitants there are illegal immigrants. Shah Jahan and his gang set up a “reign of terror” putting at stake the dignity of women and capturing swathes of land belonging to janjatiyas and tribals. The sandeshkhali case has been spreading like a wildfire since women have come out protesting emboldened by the absence of Shah Jahan after his arrest.

According to reports, Section 144 of the CrPC is imposed in some parts of Sandeshkhali, because of the recent protests by the locals, mainly women, armed with lathis, against the exploitation by Shahjahan Sheikh and his men.

STORIES OF WOMAN TORTURED BY SHAH JAHAN– SANDESHKHALI SCANDAL

“My husband runs a bank CSP, he hinted earlier that the shah jahan was eyeing over his money, one night they broke into our house, threw my daughter away, pulled me by my hand and took me to the party office and raped me. My husband was beaten severely by the goons. Women are not safe here, they take random women to their party offices and rape them. Husband who tried to protest were beaten up by them severely.”

• Kanika Das ( sandeshkhali local)

“It’s been long since these assaults have been taking place women are not at all safe here. They would just barge in our homes and take us to their party offices rape us beat our husbands brutally.” Stated another woman residing in Sandeshkhali.

“ During programmes organized by Trinamool Congress we have been forcibly taken to the party offices and force to perform menial tasks. We were locked inside until the programme was over and incase we tried to protest, they assaulted us.” Stated one of the female residents of Sandeshkali village.

OPPOSITON PARTY AND PROTESTS

SOURCE- (ECONOMIC TIMES)

A team from the West Bengal Women’s Commission visited Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district, where women have alleged sexual harassment by absconding TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters. Commission chairperson Leena Gangopadhyay spoke to the women and is cross-checking their allegations. Read more at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/west-bengal-womens-commission-team-visits-sandeshkhali-speaks-to-protesting-women/articleshow/107619209.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

DIRE ATMOSPHERE SURROUNDING BENGAL’S RULING PARTY and THE OPPOSITION

The ongoing scandal has created vulnerabilities within the Trinamool party itself. What started as a protest against local TMC leaders by the women has now transformed into something entangled with border disputes, communal disputes and corruption.

BJP leaders like Smriti Irani has stated that “ Mamata Banerjee is an appeaser of Muslims and the condition of Hindu women within Bengal is of least interest, she’s known for the genocide of Hindus.”

A COMMUNAL CRIME OR ANOTHER POLITICAL OPPRESSION?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his rallies has compared the women of Sandeshkhali protesting to “ Ma Durga.” The political landscape of the village has seen a shift towards saffron flags witnessing the prevailing political narrative. As for the masses accusing the Sandeshkhali scandal entangled with communal politics, Minati Patra a protestor has raised the question “ Is it really anything more than political oppression? Who did this? The leaders of TMC Sibu Hazra, Uttam Sardar, they are all from Hindu community only, Shah Jahan, their leader, a muslim use to come and occupy lands and assault women. Out of fear we complied. Residents like Mohmmad Messiah residing in Block 2 of Sandeshkhali have stated that “ Shah Jahan and his gang also took my land away left me unemployed, harassed my family, you think they segregated on the basis of religion? No, they are just terrible people.”

CPIM leader Nirapada Sarkar initially arrested by state police for leading the protest against atrocities, dismissed the religious angle as divisive tactics.