On Friday, Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district was once again plunged into turmoil with a new wave of protests and arson. The area has been witnessing a significant protest against alleged sexual abuse and land encroachment by a Trinamool Congress leader. Protesters targeted Trinamool Congress leader Ajit Maity’s residence, vandalizing his motorcycle and accusing him of involvement in the land grab.
Close aid of Shaikh Shajahan Ajeet Maity got thrashed by villagers today#SandeshkhaliCase #SandeshkhaliCase @abhijitmajumder @thehawkeyex @promzzz @crimson__peak pic.twitter.com/EoVTPIucR8
— diptasya (@diptasya) February 23, 2024
Additionally, on Friday, an unknown group set fire to a guard room near an aquaculture field. This act further fueled the protests, with locals pointing fingers at members of the Trinamool Congress for the incident.
At the same time, the state capital experienced a major confrontation when police prevented BJP leaders from travelling to Sandeshkhali.
West Bengal police detained BJP MP Locket Chatterjee as the women’s team from the saffron party was en route to the troubled area of Sandeshkhali on Friday. Chatterjee engaged in a verbal altercation with a police officer during the incident.
A delegation from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) along with a team from the BJP, led by Chatterjee and Agnimitra Paul, who are both general secretaries of the West Bengal unit, had intended to visit Sandeshkhali.
Earlier today, angry people torched the properties of Sirajuddin Sheikh – the brother of accused TMC leader Sheikh Shahajahan. The property belonging to Shahjahan Sheikh’s brother in the Kachari area of Bermazdoor, Sandeshkhali was set on fire.
The villagers alleged that Sirajuddin Sheikh and his men had grabbed the land of the villagers, and that is why they started protesting. A large number of policemen also reached the spot.
The background of the controversy
On 8th February this year, hundreds of women in Sandeshkhali took to the streets to protest against land grabbing, non-payment of wages and sexual violence committed by Trinamool Congress goon Sheikh Shahjahan and his two aides Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar.
The women attacked Shahjahan’s illicitly obtained properties and set fire to a poultry farm owned by Shiba Prasad Hazra. They also surrounded the Sandeshkali police station and demanded the immediate arrest of the trio. The agitation in the village lasted for 3 days.
During that time, the TMC goons retaliated and the police acted as mute spectators. In several cases, the cops themselves resorted to harassment of the women. It had come to light that the residents were the subject of sexual violence by the TMC for a long time.
On 10th February, the local police imposed Section 144 in various areas in Sandeshkhali and also banned the use of the Internet in 16 panchayats scattered over the two blocks of Sandeshkhali-I and Sandeshkhali-II.
In a bid to pacify the angry villagers of Sandeshkhali, the TMC leadership suspended Uttam Sardar from the party for six years. The suspended TMC leader and Zilla Parishad member was subsequently arrested in the Sandeshkhali police station area.
The Mamata Banerjee-led-TMC government arrested a former CPI(M) MLA named Nirpada Sardar in connection to the case on 11th February. BJP leader Vikas Singh, who happens to be the Convenor of the Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency, was also arrested in connection to the women’s protest against TMC goons.
On Friday (17th February), the police arrested TMC leader Shibu Prasad Hazra over land grabbing and sexual exploitation of women in Sandeshkhali. The primary accused Sheikh Shahjahan, is still on the run from the law enforcement authorities.
