Women's Panel Chief Visits Violence-Hit Sandeshkhali, Will Meet Bengal Guv Amid BJP-TMC Slugfest
NCW chief Rekha Sharma will meet the Bengal Governor, Chief Secretary, and DGP in the state during her two-day visit to Sandeshkhali to ensure women get justice.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Rekha Sharma arrived in West Bengal for two days to assess the situation and ensure that women get their due justice amid allegations of harassment which has triggered a political slugfest between the BJP and the ruling TMC in the state. She will also be meeting the governor of West Bengal, CV Ananda Bose. While leaving from Delhi on Monday morning, Rekha said, "As you know, very disturbing news has come from Sandeshkhali...I am going there and I want them (women) to get justice. I will meet the DG and the local police...I want to meet the women and assure them of my support...I will also be meeting the governor."
#WATCH | Delhi: National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Rekha Sharma says, "As you know, very disturbing news has come from Sandeshkhali...I am going there and I want them (women) to get justice. I will meet the DG and the local police...I want to meet the women and… pic.twitter.com/w0s3C4pEQI
— ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2024
After reaching the Sandeshkhali, Rekha spoke to the police after which she stated in front of the media: "I want the victims to talk to me, NCW is standing with them. We will take action on every complaint received from the victims. Be it murder or rape, the police do not take any action, in fact, they arrest the relatives of the victims. This is not just the situation in Sandeshkhali but the entire state. I will submit this report to President and she will take further action. Women are scared because Sheikh Shahjahan is not getting arrested. We need to put pressure on the arrest of Sheikh Shahjahan."
State Minister Shashi Panja commented on her visit saying, "She needs to know that the State government has taken steps to neutralize the critical situation... Why NCW did not visit the states having double-engine government... We worship Maa Sharada and the BJP has made a caricature of her, hurting our sentiments. Why NCW neglected these events."
#WATCH | Kolkata: On National Commission of Women (NCW) Chairperson Rekha Sharma's visit to Sandeshkhali, State Minister Shashi Panja says, "She needs to know that the State government has taken steps to neutralize the critical situation... Why NCW did not visit the states having… pic.twitter.com/eBsYs5zts0
— ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2024
The NCW chairperson will also meet with the Chief Secretary Bhagwati Prasad Gopalika and DGP West Bengal Rajeev Kumar.
The women's panel had previously sent its fact-finding team to Sandeshkhali on February 12 to investigate the reports of the alleged victims of sexual exploitation. The report released by NCW on Thursday stated that its team found a "distressing pattern of negligence and complicity" by Bengal's government and law enforcement officials in the ongoing Sandeshkhali incident. "Disturbing testimonies gathered from women in the village painted a harrowing picture of widespread fear and systematic abuse. Victims in Sandeshkali recounted instances of physical and sexual violence perpetrated by both police officers and members of the Trinamool Congress (TMC)," the report stated.
It also stated that the women who "dared to speak" against the "atrocities" faced retaliation, "arbitrary arrests of male family members, and future acts of brutality" apart from confiscation of property.
The report said that the Director-General of Police refused to cooperate with NCW and that its team did not receive any sort of assistance from the SP.
Sandeshkhali has been witnessing massive protests for over a week now after women made allegations against the TMC leader Shahajan Sheikh and his aides for committing atrocities against them. The victims have alleged that that were sexually assaulted at gun point and tribal people were forced to trasnfer their lands by the TMC leader.
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