New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday reiterated the charge accusing the BJP of orchestrating the incidents of Sandeshkhali, where allegations of sexual abuse against Trinamool Congress leaders have surfaced, to malign the state. The party on Saturday released a video on social media, claiming that the footage vindicated its stand that the BJP was behind the Sandeshkhali episode.
In a fiery address in Bolpur, CM Mamata Banerjee slammed PM Modi, saying, "I am warning BJP not to dishonour women of Bengal", news agency PTI reported.
She further added, "Did anyone ever imagine that BJP would stoop so low that it would spread canards on Sandeshkhali? Don't dishonour the mothers of West Bengal by leveling such heinous allegations. Don't dare try to disrespect women of the state by offering them money to level false allegations against our party."
Alleging that the mistruth about Sandeshkhali was spread by the BJP using money, the West Bengal Chief Minister asked PM Modi to stop shedding "crocodile tears" as the conspiracy hatched by the saffron party has come to the fore with the unravelling of a recent sting, PTI reported.
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CM Banerjee lashed out at the BJP, accusing them of fabricating blatant lies and orchestrating a conspiracy by incentivising individuals to spread falsehoods.
Accusing PM Modi of taking the words of few people in his party at face value, she said that by seeing the reaction of BJP leaders to the video, it was apparent that they were scared. "If some people, including those from the TMC, committed any wrong, the party and the state government have always been quick to take disciplinary action against them, no matter how powerful they are", she said.
Earlier, she posted on X, "I had for long stated that the BJP has been trying to malign the image of Bengal by orchestrating the Sandeshkhali incident. The sting operation revealed the real face of the 'Bangla-Birodhis' as they tried to manipulate emotions of my mothers and sisters. On the 13th of May, the people of Ranaghat shall ensure that the Bangla-Birodhis are ousted from Bengal!"
According to ANI, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said, "What is the condition of BJP?...They had said a lot about Sandeshkhali but yesterday everyone saw the Sandeshkhali video. Yesterday, it was proved that this was done to humiliate the people of Bengal...By giving Rs 2,000 each to the women, BJP leaders asked them to lie and make false complaints...This is not me but Gangadhar Kayal, BJP Mandal (booth) president in Sandeshkhali, who is saying this"
Sandeshkhali 'Sting': Video Won't Affect LS Polls, BJP's Dilip Ghosh Says
A video purportedly showed Gangadhar Kayal, identified as a BJP mandal president in North 24 Parganas district's Sandeshkhali, alleging that West Bengal's opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari is involved in the conspiracy. The purported sting video also alleged that Nandigram MLA Adhikari orchestrated the planting of guns at a residence in Sandeshkhali, subsequently seized by central agencies.
Former BJP state president Dilip Ghosh downplayed the video's significance, stating it won't affect the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, reported PTI.
"It was not the BJP but the common people of Sandeshkhali, who protested in the streets against atrocities on women by local TMC leaders," said Ghosh, the BJP nominee for the Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha constituency.
CM Banerjee condemned the alleged Sandeshkhali sting, and said it exposed the extent of corruption within the BJP. In response, Adhikari dismissed the allegations, claiming the video was doctored. Additionally, Kayal filed a complaint with the CBI, alleging that the footage was manipulated using artificial intelligence.