After a prolonged protest, resistance by victims of systemic sexual exploitation, and massive pressure from the opposition BJP in the state, the true extent of criminal antecedents of TMC leader and Sandeshkhai mastermind Sheikh Shahjahan has started to come out in the open. Facing massive criticism and mounting pressure from the BJP, the West Bengal government was forced to start an outreach program six days ago. Through the program, it asked people to submit any complaints they have at the Block Development Office (BDO) in the Sandeshkhali village.
The BDO has received more than 700 complaints against TMC leader of excesses against villagers in the last six days, Indian Express reported on Saturday (24th February).
Speaking with The Indian Express, Block development officer of Sandeshkhali-II Block, Arun Kumar Samanta shared that out of more than 700 complaints, around 150 concerns with land grabbing-related accusations, while around 70 were related to money and extortion.
He said, “We have received over 700 complaints in the last six days. Over 150 were land-related and 70 were money- and extortion-related. We have started the process of identifying and returning land to genuine owners.”
Notably, after TMC’s local leader Sheikh Shahjahan went into hiding in connection with the Enforcement Directorate’s crackdown on an alleged ration scam, multiple women came forward in his absence, alleging mass land grabbing and systematic or institutionalised rape of Hindu women by Shahjahan, along with his two accomplices, Uttam Sardar and Shibu Prasad Hazra, and their henchmen. While Uttam Sardar and Shibu Hazra were arrested earlier in this case, Shahjahan is still absconding.
Pertinent to note that this outreach program by Sandeshkhali’s BDO is in addition to the West Bengal Police’s outreach that asked women to register complaints of sexual assault.
The BDO officer Samanta added, “Many complaints said land was forcibly taken from them. Some said land was taken on lease but money was not paid. Then there are applications related to state government services like old age pension, jobs cards, etc.”
Apart from taking complaints from villagers, the local administration has also reportedly started to return land that had allegedly been illegally grabbed by TMC men and converted to fisheries.
Samanta further added, “Police are looking into law and order. But we have initiated the process of land return. After receiving a complaint, we process it and our officers go for field visits and inspections. The land is then returned to genuine owners. So far we have identified 60 such land plots and started handing them over.”
However, the villagers have pointed out that on account of years of land grabbing and using it for fisheries, the land has been rendered unfit for agriculture. Regarding how fisheries (saltwater land) can be made agriculture-ready, the BDO said, “You will see that the water is drained in most of the land after it is returned. Then we will have to wait for the rains. After the rains, farmers will be able to cultivate paddy here again.”
According to Samanta, each complaint about extortion allegations is being verified and then referred to higher-ups, who will take a call on how to return the money to villagers.
A day earlier on 23rd February, the administration freed a public playground in Sandeshkhali which was reportedly illegally grabbed by TMC strongman Sheikh Shahjahan for over two years. He had allegedly locked it and prevented locals from using it.
The BDO has no official record of the total extent of land grabbing and conversion of agricultural land into area for fisheries
According to a senior officer of the state agriculture department, Sandeshkhali has around 8,000 hectares of agricultural land, but there is no estimate of how much was turned into fisheries over the years. The officer stated that paddy and some seasonal vegetables have traditionally been grown here. “Over the years, a large part of the land was transformed into fisheries. But that isn’t reflected in the records,” the officer said.
A local, Utpal Maity is among those who will get their land back. He had 3.5 bigha land which will be returned by the local administration. He too reiterated the same fear stating that the usage of land for fisheries has changed the character of the land.
He said, “The administration identified and demarcated my land yesterday. The land was forcibly taken by Shahjahan and his goons in 2019. But the problem is that salt water was added to the land for years for fisheries. Now its character has changed. To make it fertile, it will take three or more years.”
Mahanta Sardar (56) is among those who have lined up in front of the BDO. According to his allegation, the TMC men forcibly took his land on lease but didn’t pay anything for several years and was given a life threat when he objected to this.
Mahanta Sardar said, “TMC men forcibly grabbed four bighas of my land. They said they will give me money to lease it, but we didn’t get anything for three years. When I protested, Uttam Sardar threatened to kill me.”
Reiterating the feelings of others, Alaka Sarkar (33), who was also in the queue, stated that recent developments have given them the courage to raise their voice.
