A Community Shattered
Imagine a village where fear lurks in every shadow, where the whispers of injustice echo through the streets. That’s the allegation slapped by the residents of Sandeshkhali, a quaint village in West Bengal, where allegations of sexual harassment have ripped apart the fabric of community trust and safety.
Voices of the Oppressed
In the heart of this turmoil are the courageous women of Sandeshkhali, who have bravely stepped forward to share their harrowing tales. Their stories paint a chilling picture of exploitation and abuse at the hands of powerful local leaders. From late-night meetings turned nightmares to lands grabbed and dreams shattered, the women of Sandeshkhali have borne the brunt of this reign of terror.
Locals, mostly women, in Sandeshkhali, a village in North 24 Parganas district, have been protesting since 8 February against the alleged atrocities by TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his two aides, Uttam Sardar and Shibaparasd Hazra.
The situation came to light after a video of a woman narrating the ordeal went viral. “The party [Trinamool] men would come and survey a home that has a beautiful wife, whose girl is young. Then they take the women to the party office. Nights after night, they would be kept there… till they were satisfied,” the woman accused in the video, as per Business Standard.
Silence Broken, Anguish Unleashed
It took a viral video for the world to finally hear their cries for justice. In gut-wrenching detail, one woman revealed the horrors she and others endured – dragged from their homes, violated, and silenced by fear. But no more. Their voices, once stifled by intimidation, now ring out loud and clear, demanding accountability and an end to the atrocities that have plagued their lives for far too long.
Women told Indian Express that they had been quiet till now due to the fear of Shahjahan who has considerable influence in the area. The TMC leader has been on the run since the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided his home last month in an alleged ration scam.
A woman in her 20s, who also allegedly faced molestation, told the English daily that the victims were “TMC supporters” and members of self-help groups (SHG) that run under the panchayat.
Speaking to Indian Express, another woman said, “They used to call us for meetings – sometimes of the SHG and sometimes of the party. Our husbands were not called. When we went there, there was a quick ‘party meeting’ saying we will have to work for its victory. Some of us cooked and a section of women, including me, were told to stay back. They would pull my saree and touch me inappropriately. I kept quiet because I knew what would have happened if I protested.”
She claimed her family’s bigha of land was also grabbed by TMC leaders and converted into a fishery.
The Battle for Justice
As the flames of anger engulfed Sandeshkhali, the call for justice grew louder. With every protest, every fiery demonstration, the villagers made it clear – they will not rest until the perpetrators are brought to justice. But their path to justice has been fraught with obstacles – from police barricades to political interference, the road ahead is treacherous and uncertain.
The West Bengal police said on Wednesday it imposed a curfew in 19 pockets of seven villages of Sandeshkhali block-II from Tuesday night till 19 February. This came a day after the Calcutta High Court quashed the imposition of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) across Sandeshkhali, saying such orders should be only implemented in areas identified as “troubled zone”.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women (NCW) accused the local cops in the village of “threatening” the victims and “deterring” them from reporting cases.
NCW is concerned by the lack of accurate and responsible media coverage in the Sandeshkhali case. Our inquiry committee found that the victim in West Bengal is being threatened by local police, deterring them from coming out and reporting instances of sexual and physical…
— NCW (@NCWIndia) February 14, 2024
A Call to Action
As the world watches, the plight of Sandeshkhali serves as a stark reminder of the injustices that persist in our society. It’s a call to action for all of us – to listen, to believe, and to fight for the rights of the oppressed. Because in the battle for justice, silence is not an option, and every voice matters.
BJP hits out at West Bengal government
The BJP has lambasted the ruling TMC over the allegations of sexual harassment.
Suvendu Adhikari, BJP’s Leader of Opposition in West Bengal, wrote on X on 11 February, “Sheikh Shahjahan and his gang established a ‘reign of terror’ where the dignity and modesty of women from the SC and ST communities have been repeatedly violated”.
On 13 February, BJP workers, led by the party’s West Bengal chief, Sukanta Majumdar, clashed with the police outside the office of the local Superintendent of Police in North 24 Parganas’ Basirhat after not being allowed to hold a protest against the alleged sexual harassment. The police claimed the protesters pelted stones at them and several cops were injured, NDTV reported.
The police lathi-charged the protesters and fired tear gas shells to disperse them. BJP’s Majumdar claimed the police used batons first.
#WATCH | Sandeshkhali violence | Police detains the West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar, other leaders and workers of the party stage while they were on a sit-in protest outside SP Office, Basirhat pic.twitter.com/B4iyZ6Z1b8
— ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2024
The BJP has demanded a statement from West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Sandeshkhali. BJP leader Adhikari has plans to visit the area today.
A Beacon of Hope
In the midst of this chaos, there are glimmers of hope. The brave women of Sandeshkhali, supported by allies near and far, refuse to be silenced. With each step forward, they draw closer to the justice they seek, inspiring others to speak out and stand up against injustice.
What have authorities said?
A special ten-member team of women cops led by IPS Soma Das Mitra visited the Sandeshkhali village on Tuesday. However, no woman reportedly opened up about alleged sexual harassment before the police.
“We assured full safety and security to all of them, but still not a single woman complained about sexual harassment. We have assured them full privacy to lodge complaints without any fear, but still, we couldn’t find a single complaint about sexual harassment,” police sources told India Today.
The sources said their priority is to “build confidence” among the villagers so women can come up to them and file complaints.
“We have formed a special team led by DIG CID (Soma Das Mitra) to speak to the women and investigate any complaints in connection with rape, sexual assault or molestation. The team will investigate if there are such complaints and take appropriate action,” Sumit Kumar, DIG, Barasat Range, said, as per the Indian Express report.
A molestation case has been filed against Uttam Sardar and others. The TMC suspended Sardar, the party’s North 24 Parganas zilla parishad member, on 12 February following his arrest, the report added.
On Wednesday night, the West Bengal police denied reports of allegations of rape of women in the violence-hit village. “It is reiterated that no allegations about rape of women have so far been received during the enquiries since conducted by the State Women’s Commission, an all-women 10-member fact-finding team led by DIG CID, and also the district police. The representatives of the National Women’s Commission, following a recent visit to Sandeshkhali, have also corroborated this, saying that they did not receive any complaints of rape of local women during their enquiry. It is reiterated that all allegations and complaints received will be duly enquired into and lawful action will be initiated,” the police tweeted on X.
corroborated this, saying that they did not receive any complaints of rape of local women during their enquiry.
It is reiterated that all allegations and complaints received will be duly enquired into and lawful action will be initiated….(3/4)
— West Bengal Police (@WBPolice) February 14, 2024
Toll of Politics
Meanwhile, the ruling TMC has accused the BJP of trying to “vitiate the atmosphere” of West Bengal.
“BJP leaders displayed their true colours by pelting stones at the police at the behest of Union Minister Smriti Irani, who spread misinformation and dished out provocative and divisive comments on Sandeshkhali,” the ruling party said, as per NDTV.
West Bengal minister Chandrima Bhattacharya also targeted Irani over her remarks. “Rape has no religion. Crimes against women have no religion. Union Minister Smriti Irani held a press conference on Sandeshkhali with the sole intention of polarising the masses and pitting communities against each other. Do you want to ignite a communal riot in Bengal,” the TMC leader said.
Bengal minister Birbaha Hansda said CM Banerjee has assured culprits will be punished.
Moving Forward
As the sun sets over Sandeshkhali, the villagers gather, their resolve unshakeable. They know that the road ahead will be long and arduous, but they refuse to back down. For in their unity lies their strength, and in their fight for justice lies the hope for a better tomorrow.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, who visited Sandeshkhali on Monday and spoke to the protesters, said in a report to the Ministry of Home Affairs that law enforcers were in collusion with “rowdy elements”, PTI reported citing Raj Bhavan sources.
“I have taken stock of the matter through direct interaction with the victims and by making extensive field visits in Sandeshkhali island. In my considered opinion, the situation there is highly reprehensible,” he said in the report.
The governor also accused the police of asking locals to make compromises instead of filing complaints against the culprits while “goonda elements disguised as policemen trespass into the victims’ houses at night”.
Bose said the local people want a Special Task Force or Special Investigation Team to probe the allegations.
With inputs from agencies and newspapers
