Hours after being declared the Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate from the Hoogly Lok Sabha constituency, popular Bengali actress Rachna Banerjee on Sunday (11th March) cast aspersions on the sexual violence faced by women in Sandeshkhali village of West Bengal.
While speaking to the media about the unrest in Sandeshkhali, she remarked, “The ordeal faced by people and their testimony is more important than the opinion of politicians.”
“The politicians who are making a big deal out of Sandeshkhali must listen to what the women there are saying. Take the interview of those women. Listen to them first,” the actress further claimed.
On being pointed out by reporters that women in Sandeshkhali had already narrated the tragedy that befell upon them, Rachna Banerjee brazened out, “Not everyone is saying that. How do we know that those who are claiming to be victims are actually victims?”
“I will have to first go and verify those (testimonies) and find whether such incidents (referring to sexual violence against Sandeshkhali women by TMC goons) have actually taken place,” she dismissed the complicity of the TMC leaders in the unrest in Sandeshkhali.
“And if these incidents have really happened, then, we have Didi (Mamata Banerjee) to fix those,” the actress concluded. Interestingly, the West Bengal Chief Minister had herself tried to downplay the Sandeshkhali case as ‘minor incident‘, amplified by the BJP and media.
Trinamool's candidate from Hooghly dismisses women's harassment claims in Sandeshkhali, casting doubt on their credibility.
— Locket Chatterjee (Modi Ka Parivar) (@me_locket) March 10, 2024
Despite numerous testimonies of abuse from mothers, wives, and daughters, Trinamool leaders turn a blind eye, feigning ignorance.
Shockingly, victims… pic.twitter.com/YjbLHdVp4I
BJP MP from Hooghly, Locket Chatterjee, reacted strongly to the remarks made by Rachna Banerjee. In a tweet, she said, “Trinamool’s candidate from Hooghly dismisses women’s harassment claims in Sandeshkhali, casting doubt on their credibility. Despite numerous testimonies of abuse from mothers, wives, and daughters, Trinamool leaders turn a blind eye, feigning ignorance.”
“Shockingly, victims recount how Trinamool leaders, under the cover of night, commit heinous acts of sexual assault with impunity. Yet, the party shamelessly denies any wrongdoing. Why then was Sheikh Shajahan suspended if nothing happened? The hypocrisy is staggering,” the BJP MP added.
She further emphasised, “Bengal’s Chief Minister acknowledges the harassment but conveniently overlooks her party’s role, leaving victims sidelined and justice denied. Under Trinamool’s reign, Bengal’s women endure relentless harassment, while Trinamool leaders shamelessly offer mere 500 rupees as compensation. Hooghly’s women, alongside all of Bengal, vow to retaliate against the anti-women Trinamool, ensuring their swift exit from power.”
Big surprise! Rachana Banerjee, host of popular TV show #DidiNo1, debuts as #TMCCandidate from Hooghly.
— Monideepa Banerjie (@Monideepa62) March 10, 2024
#MamataBanerjee was on the DidiNo1 show on 3rd March.
Rachana takes on BJP MP Locket Chatterjee. #WestBengal#TMCBrigade#KhelaHobey
##LokSabhaElection2024 pic.twitter.com/fnDGFQ7LGG
It must be mentioned that Rachna Banerjee is the host of the popular Bengali show ‘Didi No.1’. Before declaring her as a TMC candidate, party supremo Mamata Banerjee made a guest appearance on her show on 3rd March 2024.
Sandeshkhali horror
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.
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 on 10th February 2024.
On 17th February, the police arrested TMC leader Shibu Prasad Hazra over land grabbing and sexual exploitation of women in Sandeshkhali.
After large-scale protests and intervention of the Calcutta High Court, the primary accused Sheikh Shahjahan was arrested on Thursday (29th February).
