BJP’s Suvendu accuses Bengal govt of framing ‘false charges’ against Sandeshkhali women

PTI, Dec 31, 2024, 5:56 PM IST

Kolkata: A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attended a programme in Sandeshkhali, senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday held a rally at the same place and accused her government of framing false charges against women in the area for protesting against the alleged misdeeds by local TMC leaders.

Addressing a public meeting on the island, situated on the borders of the Sundarbans, in North 24 Parganas district, Adhikari, the leader of opposition in the assembly, described Banerjee as a person “with mischievous intent”.

He vowed to constitute an inquiry commission to probe into alleged atrocities by local TMC leaders if the BJP comes to power in the 2026 assembly polls.

“Mamata Banerjee had conspired for the arrest of mothers and sisters at Sandeshkhali before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. They were slapped with false charges and arrested for protesting against the atrocities by local TMC strongmen like Shahjahan Sheikh. You (Mamata Banerjee) will face action for abetting such oppression if the BJP comes to power,” Adhikari said.

Sandeshkhali witnessed large-scale protests earlier this year over alleged land-grabbing and sexual harassment of women by local TMC leaders.

On her first visit to Sandeshkhali since protests erupted over alleged land grabbing and sexual harassment of women by local TMC leaders, Banerjee had on Monday asked its residents not to pay anyone to avail benefits of state-run schemes.

Banerjee had visited the island to chair a public distribution programme.

The CM also urged local women not to pay attention if anyone calls them for any reason and alleged that a huge amount of money was used to flare up the protest in Sandeshkhali.

The saffron party leader claimed that the TMC managed to win the Basirhat Lok Sabha Seat, of which Sandeshkhali is an assembly segment, “because of Muslim votes”.

“The BJP, however, was ahead in the Sandeshkhali assembly segment here. The results of the next assembly elections in Sandeshkhali will be in the BJP’s favour as Hindus have already consolidated. They witnessed persecution by the TMC and would vote collectively against the ruling party,” he alleged.

Adhikari also claimed that the BJP had won from Nandigram in the 2021 assembly polls and from Tamluk in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections “with consolidated Hindu votes”, and said this “momentum will continue”.

Accusing the TMC of resorting to “unfair electoral practices”, he claimed that the nomination paper of late TMC MP from Basirhat Hazi Sk Nurul Islam was fraught with “flaws” and Rekha Patra, BJP’s candidate from the area in Lok Sabha polls, lodged a complaint with the Election Commission.