‘Mamata did not meet us’: Sandeshkhali women say ‘risky to live’ in village

Women accused state chief minister Mamata Banerjee for neglecting their pain and suffering and speaking on behalf of those who attacked their dignity.

By Shobhit Gupta

West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali has been witnessing massive unrest for over 10 days as women protestors are seeking justice against alleged sexual assault committed by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shahjahan Sheikh and his supporters.

The women residing in the violence-hit region shared their ordeal saying that it has become very risky to live as the accused have been arrested but not punished yet.

They also accused state chief minister Mamata Banerjee for neglecting their pain and suffering and speaking on behalf of those who attacked their dignity.

“It is becoming very risky to live here…Uttam Sardar and Shibu Hazra have been arrested but they have not been punished yet. Both of them along with Shahjahan Sheikh should be punished… We want to live with dignity… Being a woman Chief Minister, she (Mamata Banerjee) is not able to understand our pain… We thought that she would come to talk to us, speak on our behalf but she is speaking on behalf of those who attacked us,” news agency ANI quoted a woman staying in Sandeshkhali.

Another woman said to ANI, “What to say about Mamata Banerjee, she did not enquire about us, did not meet us…What to say about her, she herself is a woman and we are also women, in such a situation, if she does not come to us then imagine what our condition would be…”

The West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has attacked the TMC government alleging that women in Bengal are unsafe and accused the police of looting the houses of women who are giving news interviews about their ordeal.

BJP MP Locket Chatterjee accused the police of becoming the party office of the TMC and alleged that the cops do not register any FIR and there is not a single FIR related to the Sandeshkhali incident.

“Mamata Banerjee does not believe what the women are saying… The police and Shiekh Shah Jahan and his gang are together. The women will reply to this in 2024. Right now you are not able to understand the situation of Sandeshkhali, we have heard of Iraq, Iran, and Pakistan and their atrocities on women, today the same thing is happening in West Bengal, and Mamata Bannerjee is completely silent, What is she saying, She is saying this is RSS doing this,” she said to ANI.

The Supreme Court has quashed the PIL seeking CBI or SIT probe into Sandeshkhali sexual assault case saying that the Calcutta High Court has already taken suo moto cognisance of the issue.

A bench of justices BV Nagarathna and Augustine George Masih said, “HC is seized of the matter. This cannot be a dual forum hearing. Let us see what relief the HC grants.”

On Sunday, Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of trying to disrupt peace in the area and not taking any action against its leaders. Addressing a public gathering in Birbhum on Sunday, CM Banerjee said that her government always takes action in case of any wrong.

“We always take action in case of any wrong. First the ED, then the BJP, and then the media. They are trying to disrupt peace there (Sandeshkhali). If there are any allegations, we will take action, and whatever was taken forcibly will be returned. I have asked the police to take suo motu cognizance. Our block president has been arrested. In Bhangar, Arabul Islam has also been arrested. But what action has the BJP taken against their leaders? Remember, the BJP is anti-Bengali, anti-women, anti-farmer, and anti-dalit,” she said.

Courtesy : HT

Note: This news piece was originally published in hindustantimes.com and used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes exclusively for Human Right