The area has been at the centre of a political firestorm between the TMC and BJP ever since protests broke out in the area earlier this month, led by women who claim they were sexually harassed over the years by aides of Trinamool Congress strongman Sheikh Shahjahan.
Since the allegations, TMC’s Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar have been suspended from the party and placed under arrest. Shajahan has been absconding since January 5 after an Enforcement Directorate team was attacked by a mob while on its way to search his residence in connection with a ration scam.
“Women in Sandeshkhali have been harassed and deprived of their rights. A large number of them have been molested. Eighteen such complaints were raised, out of which two were of rape. Recently, one such rape complaint was taken up by the police. Women told me that they were scared to speak up due to fear of police pressure and social stigma. They also sent young girls away so they would not be subjected to such acts,” alleged Sharma.
Sharma, who submitted the complaints with the Sandeshkhali police station, said, “The situation is grave here and I don’t think it will improve unless President’s Rule is imposed. We were told that children were kept at gunpoint to force women to withdraw the complaints. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should resign as she failed to protect these women. I have not seen these kinds of atrocities before.”
The TMC said the commission’s visit was politically motivated. State minister Shashi Panja asked the NCW chairperson why she isn’t demanding the Prime Minister’s resignation over the Manipur violence, during which two women were stripped and paraded.
TMC state vice-president Jay Prakash Majumdar said, “These people (Sharma) were previously associated with the BJP and are now being appointed to various commissions. They have lost credibility.”
In the evening, Republic Bangla journalist Santu Pan was arrested based on a complaint by a local resident. Police said he has been booked under IPC sections pertaining to trespassing and outraging the modesty of a woman.
Police claimed Pan had barged into a local woman’s home while reporting, following which she filed a complaint at Sandeshkhali police station and the journalist was arrested. Police said Pan will be produced in Basirhat court on Tuesday.
In response, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said, “Today, the West Bengal police arrested reporter Santu Pan for reporting on atrocities being faced by locals. This is a massive, inhuman and direct attack on the fourth pillar of democracy.”
Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s IT department and co-incharge of West Bengal, posted on social media, “In an assault on media, West Bengal police has arrested Republic Bangla journalist Santu Pan, who has been covering the rape and torture in Sandeshkhali. Unable to arrest Shahjahan Sheikh and quell women’s protest, Mamata Banerjee is now targeting the media.”
A single bench of the Calcutta High Court meanwhile issued an interim stay on imposition of CrPC section 144 in Sandeshkhali for the next seven days and allowed Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari to visit the area. Last week, the BJP MLA from Nandigram was prevented by the police from visiting Sandeshkhali citing prohibitory orders, following which he moved the court.
Justice Kaushik Chanda however said that the BJP leader must refrain from delivering any “provocative speeches” during his visit.