Dalit women are living hell in Sandeshkhali..! All Dalit loving politicians silent, National SC Commission demands imposition of President’s rule in Bengal
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Kolkata: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) on Friday (February 16) after its visit to Sandeshkhali in West Bengal, has submitted a report to His Excellency Draupadi Murmu recommending President’s rule citing complete lawlessness in the state. Arun Halder, Chairman of the Commission working for the Dalit community, has also met President Murmu. Later speaking to the media he said, “We have recommended that in view of the situation in West Bengal under Article 338, President’s rule should be imposed there, the purpose of which is to protect the rights of the Scheduled Castes.”
Bhavesh Bakshi
Arun Halder said that the President has assured the NCSC team that she will look into the matter and take action. When the NCSC team tried to enter Sandeshkhali to meet the victims of sexual assault, several Bengal police officers allegedly misbehaved with them. Halder said, “The state government has joined hands with the criminals.” On February 8, women of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal protested against absconding TMC leader and Mamata Banerjee’s close aide Sheikh Shahjahan and his workers. They have taken to the streets demanding action.
The women have alleged that the accused forcefully grabbed the lands of the poor in the area and sexually assaulted the women throughout the night and released them only when they were satisfied. The accused also made the villagers work in the business run by them and did not even pay them for it. The NCSC chief said, “We have recommended that President’s rule should be imposed in West Bengal in view of the situation under Article 338, which aims to protect the rights of the Scheduled Castes.”
Let us tell you that, under Article 338 of the Constitution, the NCSC is obliged to present reports to the President annually and at other times on the functioning of the constitutional safeguards for the Scheduled Castes (SC). Commission Chairman Arun Halder said the violence in Sandeshkhali is affecting people from the Scheduled Caste community, noting that West Bengal has the second largest population of SCs in the country. Apart from this, the Commission has also sent a notice to the TMC government of Bengal and ordered to take immediate action against the absconding accused.
He said, “The state should protect them (SC), but that is not happening and they are actually suffering under the rule of the state government.” A central team of BJP also visited Sandeshkhali on Friday and a delegation of Congress is scheduled to arrive today (Saturday). The 6-member BJP delegation formed by party national president JP Nadda to visit Sandeshkhali was stopped by the police in West Bengal on Friday. The team included party leaders Annapurna Devi, Pratima Bhowmik, Sunita Duggal, Kavita Patidar, Sangeeta Yadav and Brij Lal. BJP leader Agnimitra Paul is going to Sandeshkhali with the delegation.
Meanwhile, the Privileges Committee of the Lok Sabha had summoned top police officials of West Bengal on the complaint of BJP state president Sukant Majumdar. The Privilege Committee on Thursday directed top West Bengal police officials to appear before it on February 19 on the complaint by the BJP state chief. However, it is also worth noting that Dalit and tribal women are forced to live a hellish life in Sandeshkhali, but parties like Bhim Army, BSP, which do politics in the name of Dalits and tribals, have maintained silence on this issue. At the same time, BJP and Congress, despite being staunch opponents, are seen together on this issue and are raising the voice of the women of Sandeshkhali.
Courtesy: News Track
Note: This news piece was originally published in newstrack.com and used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes exclusively for Human Right