The National Commission for Women (NCW) expressed concern over reports of a brutal assault on the wife of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) booth president by members of the opposition in Altapur village, West Bengal.
“NCW is deeply disturbed by reports of a brutal attack on the wife of a political party president from the opposition in Altapur village, West Bengal. The assailants allegedly vandalized her home, assaulted her son and daughter, and subjected her to horrifying violence and molestation,” the NCW said in a post on ‘X’.
NCW is deeply disturbed by reports of a brutal attack on the wife of a political party president from the opposition in Altapur village, West Bengal. The assailants allegedly vandalized her home, assaulted her son and daughter, and subjected her to horrifying violence and…
— NCW (@NCWIndia) March 13, 2024
In condemnation of the incident, the NCW Chairperson penned a letter to the West Bengal Director General of Police, urging the invocation of sections 354, 323, and 509 of the Indian Penal Code.
“We condemn this heinous act and urge swift action to ensure justice and the safety of women in the state. The Chairperson NCW has sent a letter to DGP West Bengal to invoke sections 354, 323 and 509 IPC to ensure justice in this case,” the NCW said.
Earlier on March 10, the West Bengal BJP said in a post on ‘X’, “Whether it is Sandeshkhali or Karandighi, Hindus are repeatedly attacked! The chief minister is always blaming Hindus.”
The West Bengal BJP also posted a video clip in which a woman victim was purportedly heard saying, “Around 300 Muslim men came to my house. I was talking to them through the window. They broke the window, took away our belongings such as suitcase, almirah, TV, bed…”
“They broke the idols of Goddess Durga and Goddess Manasha,” she said adding that her children were attacked by them and she was bleeding from her ears.
Earlier last week, NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma, in a scathing attack on the TMC-led West Bengal government regarding the Sandeshkhali incident, asserted that justice cannot be served when the state government is determined to protect the culprits.
“When the government begins thinking that they have to save their government by hook or by crook, then I don’t believe that justice can be given to anybody. In West Bengal, the same thing happened; it was all about politics and money in Sandeshkhali and it’s still there. I will say, nothing has changed. When politics and money become more significant for the government, then citizens become secondary,” she said.