Bengal: TMC, BJP, Congress Lock Horns As Ruling Party's Delegation Visits Sandeshkhali — Top Points

A war of words erupted today among the TMC, BJP, and Congress following a TMC delegation's visit to the strife-ridden Sandeshkhali. Top points from all that happened today.

Image used for representational purposes only.

Source : PTI Images

A verbal spat erupted on Saturday between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Congress after a TMC delegation promised justice during a visit to the turbulent Sandeshkhali. Following this, senior BJP leader Vanathi Srinivasan questioned the TMC government's transparency, citing the refusal of women MPs from the saffron party to visit Sandeshkhali and meet alleged victims of atrocities.

On the same day, Bengal Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury accused the BJP of attempting to communalise the Sandeshkhali issue for political gain in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Here are the top points from all that happened in and around Sandeshkhali: 

• The TMC delegation, including West Bengal ministers Sujit Bose and Partha Bhowmick, visited the violence-affected region and assured locals that all issues and complaints would be addressed. This marked the third visit by senior TMC leaders to the area.

• "All the issues will be resolved. All the complaints will be addressed. No wrongdoers will be spared. The police are taking stern action," Bose, quoted by PTI, after visiting the area.

• Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's planned visits indicate the BJP's intention to keep the Sandeshkhali issue alive, criticising the TMC for its alleged inability to control the situation where accusations of land grabbing and sexual assault were made against TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh.

• Modi will visit West Bengal on March 1 and 2 as part of his official schedule, and he is expected to address a women's rally on March 6 in the North 24 Parganas district, which includes restive Sandeshkhali.

• Chowdhury also alleged an increase in trafficking of women in Sandeshkhali and the Sundarbans region, blaming natural disasters, poverty, and unemployment for aggravating the problem.

• "In the entire Sundarbans area of Bengal such as Sandeshkhali and Gosaba, the number of missing children, women and girls is going up alarmingly, especially after natural disasters like cyclones,” Chowdhury was quoted as saying by PTI.

• Senior BJP leader Vanathi Srinivasan questioned the transparency of the TMC government, pointing out the prevention of women MPs from the saffron party to visit Sandeshkhali and meet alleged victims of atrocities. She also slammed the state government over allegations of sexual abuse against women.

• "Women are not at all safe in West Bengal. If the TMC government is so transparent, why are opposition women MPs prevented from meeting the victims in Sandeshkhali? What are they trying to hide?" she asked while speaking to reporters, as PTI reported.

• Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC continue to be in force in certain parts of Sandeshkhali. The region has witnessed protests over allegations of land grabbing and sexual atrocities by some local TMC leaders, including Sheikh Shajahan, resulting in the arrest of TMC's Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar based on complaints by villagers.