Women’s TMC says panel parroting BJP script
Kolkata/ New Delhi, Feb 19: NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma on Monday demanded the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and imposition of President’s Rule following unrest in Sandeshkhali, evoking a sharp retort from TMC, which accused the panel of echoing the BJP’s agenda.
Sharma, who led a delegation of National Commission for Women (NCW) to the unrest-hit area in North 24 Parganas district, said the visit was aimed at bolstering confidence among women to speak out about their experiences.
Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court on Monday granted permission to the Leader of Opposition in West Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari to visit Sandeshkhali, who was earlier stopped twice from visiting the area.
In New Delhi, BJP MP Locket Chatterjee slammed the TMC government and said what happened to women in Sandeshkhali was a reminder of atrocities against women in countries like Iraq and Pakistan.
Amid ongoing tensions in Sandeshkhali over protests against TMC-led atrocities and sexual harassment, police maintained a strong presence as normalcy struggled to return to the area.
“After speaking with women in Sandeshkhali, it’s clear the situation is dire. Numerous women shared their harrowing experiences; one even reported being raped inside a TMC party office. We demand President’s Rule in Bengal, which we will also include in our report,” Sharma told PTI.
The demand for imposition of President’s Rule came days after the National Commission for Scheduled Caste (NCSC) recommended the same in its report to President Droupadi Murmu on alleged harassment of women by TMC supporters in Sandeshkhali.
.She accused the Mamata Banerjee government of attempting to suppress women’s voices to conceal the truth and emphasised the need to arrest Shajahan Sheikh, an absconding TMC leader allegedly involved in the atrocities, to encourage more women to come forward with complaints.
“I am in Sandeshkhali for the entire day to hear from women. We have to instil confidence in them. I will talk to the police,” Sharma told reporters soon after reaching the area.
The NCW chairperson alleged that neither the district magistrate nor the superintendent of police were present there to meet her.
“The administration and police are not listening to complaints of women and they do not do anything. Only one woman has come out and registered her statement before a magistrate. We want more women to come in the front… Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has never allowed her officers to meet teams of central officers. But the truth will come out,” Sharma said. (PTI)