In Sandeshkhali, a village in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, there are protests because people say a TMC leader mistreated women. Local women accuse Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of taking their land and hurting them. Shajahan is missing after a group, thought to be connected to him, attacked Enforcement Directorate officers who were investigating him for corruption.
Trouble started on January 5 when a group attacked Enforcement Directorate officers visiting Sandeshkhali to ask Shahjahan Sheikh about a possible scam. Since then, Sheikh hasn’t been found. After that, many local women said Sheikh and his group took their lands to make prawn farms and mistreated them for years. These claims led to protests and arguments between political parties. Tensions got worse on February 8 when protesters set fire to three poultry farms owned by one of Sheikh’s friends.
Background:
Sandeshkhali is a community development block in the Basirhat subdivision of North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, India.
According to the 2011 Census of India, Sandeshkhali Block had a total population of 164,465, all living in rural areas. Scheduled Castes numbered 50,812 (30.90%), and Scheduled Tribes numbered 42,674 (25.95%).
The North 24 Parganas district is densely populated, mainly due to the arrival of refugees from Bangladesh.
In the 2011 census, Hindus numbered 113,793, constituting 69.19% of the population in Sandeshkhali I CD Block. Muslims numbered 50,029, forming 30.42% of the population.
In 1981, Hindus numbered 76,282, forming 81.23% of the population, and Muslims numbered 17,574, forming 18.50% of the population in Sandeshkhali Block.
Sukumar Mahata of the All India Trinamool Congress was elected from the Sandeshkhali constituency in the 2016 and 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections. In 2021, he received 112,450 votes, defeating Dr. Bhaskar Sardar of the BJP, who got 72,765 votes.
Allegations of Land Grabbing:
Villagers have complained that Hazra and Uttam Sardar have been occupying agricultural land and canals for several years without giving the villagers their rightful dues. They also claimed that they couldn’t speak up due to fear of Sheikh Shahjahan.
Protestors gathered on the streets, alleging that the 42-year-old had encroached upon their agricultural land and had been mistreating the residents.
Allegations of Sexual Harassment:
Locals have alleged that Sheikh Shahjahan and his party workers visit every house in Sandeshkhali, looking for beautiful girls or new brides, take them to the party office for days, and do not release them until they are satisfied.
Continued Protest:
Protests have continued for the eighth consecutive day in Sandeshkhali village, North Parganas district of West Bengal, following allegations of sexual abuse against women by local leaders affiliated with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).
The MP and others were prevented from entering Sandeshkhali, where women have been protesting against alleged atrocities committed against them by Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh and his associates.
Recent Development:
In a significant update about the Sandeshkhali incident, Shibu Hazra, the accused, was arrested on February 17th in Basirhat. Police have confirmed the arrest of 18 individuals related to the case so far. It’s important to note that angry villagers set fire to a poultry farm owned by TMC leader Shivprasad Hazra. Residents claim Hazra unlawfully took their land, which sparked their protest.
The Supreme Court halted the Lok Sabha Secretariat’s notices to West Bengal’s chief secretary, DGP, and others. These notices were regarding a complaint of “misconduct” filed by BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar.
Last week, Majumdar was injured during clashes between BJP workers and police in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal. The Lok Sabha Secretariat summoned West Bengal’s Chief Secretary Bhagwati Prasad Gopalika and Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Kumar to appear by 10:30 AM on Monday.
A panel of judges, including Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwla and Manoj Misra, heard arguments from senior lawyers Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Singhvi, who represented state officials. The SC bench decided to suspend the orders requiring these officials to appear, as reported by PTI.
The lawyer for the Lok Sabha secretariat disagreed with the top court’s decision to halt the proceedings, saying it’s the first meeting of the privileges committee. “They are not being accused of anything. This is a regular process. Once an MP sends a notice and the speaker thinks there is something to look into then notices are issued,” the lawyer said.
The bench issued notices to the Lok Sabha Secretariat and others and asked for their responses within four weeks. Meanwhile, it suspended the proceedings before the panel of the lower House.
Responses from TMC:
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated on Sunday that the BJP is attempting to instigate a “riot” in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas. There were protests there in early February against alleged sexual harassment and land grabbing by local TMC leaders. Speaking at a government event in Birbhum, Mamata Banerjee mentioned that no woman from the area filed a complaint.
She said she instructed the police to initiate an investigation on their own. “No one filed a complaint. I instructed the police to start their investigation. The police have already arrested some of our district council members, and the law will take its course. But the BJP is trying to create trouble there. First, they sent the ED, and now they’re trying to start a riot,” the chief minister said. She added, “If anything has been taken from the people, it will be returned.”
Community Support and Solidarity:
The Bengal Congress chief Chowdhury questioned why opposition parties were being denied access to Sandeshkhali. He asked, “What is the state government trying to hide by preventing opposition parties from entering? Why are they trying to politicize the situation?” His criticism came as Banerjee accused the saffron camp of inciting unrest in the area.
NCSC recommended the President’s rule:
National Commission for Scheduled Castes chairperson Arun Halder stated on Friday that the commission has forwarded a report to President Droupadi Murmu, suggesting the imposition of President’s Rule in West Bengal. The recommendation stems from alleged instances of harassment of women by Trinamool Congress supporters in Sandeshkhali.
NCSC recommending the President’s rule in WB shows that locals are terrified and law and order is not in place.
The government needs to ensure the safety of locals and maintain the dignity of women. The Governor of WB also visited the area and talked to locals. Enough force is deployed and the situation is currently under control. Police need to arrest the culprits soon and file a case against them for fair trials.