The violent protests prompted the government to impose prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPc) and suspend internet services in large parts of the village in North 24 Parganas district on Saturday.
The action comes after three days of violent protests by local villagers, including women, who accused Sheikh and his aides Uttam Sardar and Shibo Prasad Hazra of alleged land grabbing and forcing men to work for them without pay. The protests started Wednesday as two processions led by TMC and the BJP ended in clashes. Over the next two days, local women gheraoed Sandeshkhali police station to press for their demand, while angry villagers vandalised houses in the area and also set ablaze three poultry farms owned by Hazra. Police said 15 persons have been arrested in connection with the protests in Sandeshkhali so far.
On Saturday, the ruling TMC announced that it had suspended Sardar for six years. Both Sheikh and Sardar are zilla parishad members in North 24 Parganas district and are currently absconding.
For the villagers, the protests were a culmination of their resentment stemming from “police apathy”. Talking to The Indian Express on Saturday, a woman TMC booth president said, “Villagers have finally found the guts to speak up against the local leaders who had been terrorising them under the patronage of Shahjahan Sheikh.”
“In Sandeshkhali, Sardar and Hazra have a final say in everything. They grabbed land from villagers, did not pay people despite forcing them into manual labour and even beat them up when they asked for their wages,” she alleged.
She also alleged that local women were particularly affected. “Sheikh, Sardar and Hazra often used to ask the women to attend party meetings at the drop of a hat and even at night. Many women were asked to stay till 2 am. They had no other option but to agree as the police did not take any action against the TMC leaders,” she alleged.
Even as large contingents of police, Rapid Action Force and combat force patrol the streets of Sandeshkahli, the resentment among villagers against the ruling party’s local leaders is palpable.
An elderly man, who alleged that Sardar usurped a 1.98-acre property that he owned in the village, said, “I did not get any money for my 30 katha (1.98 acres) land. I could not open my mouth against Sardar as he would have got me beaten up.”
“I support the brave women who stood up against them,” said the man, who owned a bicycle repair shop.
Sheikh’s absence in Sandeshkhali has sparked questions among his supporters, with many wondering why he is still in hiding. “If he has not done anything then why is he hiding? He must prove his innocence or surrender before a court,” said a local shop owner, Bablu Mondal.
Mamoni Sardar, who sells local produce at a local market named after Sheikh, said, “We don’t want to see normal lives getting affected. We want peace in the area.”
Reacting to the allegations, West Bengal minister and senior TMC leader Partha Bhowmick said the party made the decision to suspend Sardar based “on an internal report” and following “instructions from TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee”.
“For the past few days, the incidents that unfolded in Sandeshkhali were unprecedented. A few days ago, there was a TMC rally over the Centre blocking state funds. Following the event, some of our workers were attacked by some unknown people…Even their houses and poultry farms were set ablaze. This is a deliberate attempt to disrupt peace. Meanwhile, police have taken necessary action and made arrests (in connection with the protests),” said Bhowmick.
During the day, senior police officers including DG (State Crime Record Bureau) Siddhinath Gupta, IG (administration) SR Jhanjharia, DIG (Barasat) Sumit Kumar and SP (Basirhat) Hossain Mehedi Rehman visited Sandeshkhali area to take stock of the situation.
“Prohibitory Orders under Section 144 of CrPC were imposed and internet services suspended in Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district where local women held protests demanding the arrest of TMC leaders,” said a senior police officer. Shops shut and roads deserted, police were seen using drones for aerial surveillance.
Considered close to state minister Jyoti Priya Mullick, Sheikh is also wanted in connection with the ration distribution ‘scam’. The ED had arrested Mullick last year over alleged irregularities in the ration distribution during his tenure as the food and supplies minister.
On January 5, a team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials who had reached the TMC strongman’s house to conduct raids was attacked by his supporters, both men and women, leaving several injured.
Meanwhile, a delegation of BJP leaders was stopped by police in the Rampur area of the district while it was on its way to visit Sandeshkhali.
The BJP leaders said that they would hold a demonstration outside SP’s office on Monday to mark their protest. “The police cited section 144 of CrPC and stopped us from meeting villagers who have been facing atrocities. They are trying to hide the truth and protect corrupt TMC leaders,” said BJP leader Archana Majumdar, who was a part of the delegation.