CBI on Wednesday got the custody of Shajahan Sheikh from the West Bengal CID
BARASAT (WB), March 6: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday tore into the Trinamool Congress, asserting that the “storm of Sandeshkhali” will echo throughout West Bengal, where ‘Nari Shakti’ (woman power) would play a pivotal role in decimating the ruling party in the Lok Sabha polls.
Addressing a rally in Barasat, the headquarters of North 24 Parganas district where Sandeshkhali is located, Modi said whatever happened with women in the area “is a matter of shame”.
He also met a group of women from Sandeshkhali, shortly after the rally in Barasat.
The riverine island of Sandeshkhali has been on the boil over allegations of sexual atrocities on women and land grabbing by suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his cohorts.
He accused the TMC government of prioritising appeasement politics over ensuring the safety of women in the state.
“TMC leaders are committing atrocities against sisters and daughters of poor, Dalit and tribal families at various places. The women of Bengal and the country are incensed. This storm of Sandeshkhali will reach every part of West Bengal, and decimate the TMC across the state,” Modi said.
The PM highlighted the historical significance of West Bengal as a beacon of women’s empowerment, lamenting that under the TMC rule, the state has witnessed “grave atrocities” against women.
“The land of Bengal has been a source of inspiration for women’s power. But on this very land, women have been subjected to atrocities under the TMC rule. Whatever has happened in Sandeshkhali will lower anybody’s head in shame. But, the TMC government here does not care about the sorrows of women,” he said.
Alleging that the TMC was shielding criminals, Modi said that despite legal intervention, the state authorities resisted the arrest of those responsible for the Sandeshkhali incidents.
“The TMC used all its power to protect the criminals. However, the state government suffered a setback, first from the high court and then from the Supreme Court,” he said.
Hitting out at the TMC for acting at the behest of touts and playing appeasement politics, Modi said, “The TMC government, working under the pressure of touts, can never provide security to sisters and daughters. On the other hand, there is the BJP-led central government, which has made provisions for even death penalty in case of serious crimes like rape.” The prime minister also slammed the Mamata Banerjee-led party for its failure to implement central initiatives such as a women’s helpline, designed to aid them in distress.
“We had created this helpline so that our sisters can easily complain in times of crisis. However, the TMC government is not allowing this system to be implemented here. Such an anti-women government can never do any good for women,” he said.
He described the TMC as a hindrance to Bengal’s development and urged the electorate to reject the opposition bloc INDIA and vote in favour of the BJP.
Modi tears into Lalu at Bihar rally
Modi on Wednesday tore into RJD president Lalu Prasad, who had recently hurled a barb at him claiming that his dislike for “dynastic politics” stemmed from his having “no family” of his own.
Addressing a rally in Bettiah, the headquarters of West Champaran district, Modi referred to Prasad and his family as “the biggest offenders (sabse bade gunahgar)” of Bihar. He accused them of bringing “jungle raj” during their decade-and-a-half-long rule in the state.
The PM, who was on his second visit to the state in less than a week, alleged that the RJD and its allies Congress and other constituents of the INDIA bloc were “heaping insults on Lord Ram” and had forced the deity “to live in tents” and paved “hurdles in the way of construction of a temple at Ayodhya”.
“Since Independence, migration to other places in search of livelihood has been a major challenge before Bihar. The problem peaked when ‘jungle raj’ came,” said Modi, alluding to the rise to power of Prasad in the 1990s.
“An entire generation was deprived of future prospects during the jungle raj. Only one family prospered”, said Modi and indirectly referred to the land-for-jobs scam, pertaining to Prasad’s tenure as the railway minister in the Manmohan Singh government.
“Can Bihar forgive its biggest offenders, who grabbed land of people in exchange for jobs”, asked the prime minister, referring to the scam in which Prasad’s wife and son Tejashwi Yadav, besides daughter Misa Bharti have been named as accused.
CBI gets custody of Sheikh from CID
The CBI on Wednesday got the custody of Sandeshkhali ED official attack case accused Shajahan Sheikh from the West Bengal CID, following two orders by the Calcutta High Court to do so on two consecutive days.
In a fresh directive on Wednesday, the high court directed the state government to “immediately implement” its Tuesday’s judgement to transfer a case on the attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials at Sandeshkhali to the CBI and hand over custody of the main accused Sheikh to the central agency.
A team of CBI officials reached CID headquarters Bhawani Bhawan before 4 PM. But the handover from the state agency took place at around 6:48 PM, despite the Calcutta High Court setting a deadline of 4.15 PM.
“Shajahan Sheikh was handed over to CBI,” a CID official said.
He was arrested in a case related to a mob attack on ED officials January 5. (PTI)