Sukanta Majumdar was sitting in dharna in front of Sandeshkhali Police Station demanding arrest of absconding TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan
Sandeshkhali remained on the boil on Thursday as some parts of the island saw fresh violence by people protesting against the land grabbing by the brother of Sheikh Shahjahan, the Trinamool Congress leader who allegedly masterminded the land grabbing and atrocities on women.
The National ST Commission also visited Sandeshkhali during the day and spoke to the women who narrated their ordeal. In the evening, the police forcibly bundled out State BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar, who was sitting in dharna in front of Sandeshkhali Police Station demanding the arrest of Sheikh Shahjahan. The Trinamool Congress strongman has been absconding since January 5 after a team of Enforcement Directorate (ED), which had gone to raid his home in a corruption case, came under a mob attack.
Angry villagers set fire to the house of Shiekh Shirajuddin, Shahjahan’s brother, in the Rampur locality of Sandeshkhali, while viral videos showed him escaping on a motorbike. According to the villagers, Shirajuddin forcibly took over the land belonging to tribal inhabitants, with the support of his brother.
In the morning, Sukanta Majumdar was stopped by the police at Dhamakhali when he was proceeding towards Sandeshkhali. He was allowed to board a ferry to Sandeshkhali with only one female party leader and his security detail citing Section 144 which is in force in the area. In the evening, the police arrested Sukanta Majumdar and Archana Majumdar for sitting in dharna in front of Sandeshkhali police station.
A large number of police personnel, including women RAF personnel, physically lifted Sukanta Majumdar from his dharna and bundled him into an e-rickshaw which took him to the ferry ghat. Both the BJP leaders were arrested and forcibly taken across the river Kalindi and released after they signed PR bonds on the boat.
Determined to keep the Mamata Banerjee Government on the backfoot on the Sandeshkhali issue, the Bengal unit of the BJP on Thursday said they would arrange a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and women from the island when he visits Bengal next month. The Prime Minister is scheduled to visit the Trinamool Congress-ruled State next month for several party events, including a meeting of BJP’s women’s wing.
Sukanta Majumdar said the Prime Minister may address a rally on March 6 in Barasat, which is in the same district as Sandeshkhali. “Today, we came to know that the Prime Minister will be visiting the state on March 6 and will address a women’s rally at Barasat. If the sisters and mothers of Sandeshkhali want to meet Modi, we will definitely arrange it,” Majumdar said, hours before he was allowed to proceed to Sandeshkhali with only one lady BJP leader and his security personnel.
Many women of Sandeshkhali told the members of the National ST Commission that Shahjahan’s aides would extort the money received by them under different welfare schemes of the State and the Centre.
The allegations have also prompted probes by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes and the National Human Rights Commission. While the Scheduled Tribes panel visited the island today, the NHRC has said it will depute a team to ascertain facts.
During their visit to Sandeshkhali, the NCST team received more than 23 complaints regarding instances of coerced land acquisition and incidents of torture.
NCST acting vice-chairperson Ananta Nayak, said: “They (Sandeshkhali residents) have mentioned the name of a political leader. We will include it in our report. We have received more than 23 complaints so far.”
Trinamool Congress MLA of Sandeshkhali, Sukumar Mahato, who visited the island today had to face the villagers’ ire. “Where were you all this time?”, irate villages questioned even as the MLA promised that the Trinamool Congress would take all steps to address the grievances of the people.
Meanwhile, the police today brought many more areas of Sandeshkhali under Section 144. The development came after the Director-General of Police Rajeev Kumar and DGP (South Bengal) Suprotim Mukherjee spent last night in Sandeshkhali and made on-the-spot assessments.