Lok Sabha polls 2024 update: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday attacked the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal amidst a political storm over Sandeshkhali. Prime Minister Modi said that women of Bengal have tortured under TMC's rule, while adding the incidents that took place in Sandeshkhali will put anyone to shame.
He also said that the TMC government does not care about people's issues and is instead putting effort in protecting the Sandeshkhali violence accused. Modi further said that TMC "has full confidence in their leader but not in the women of West Bengal".
Modi's meeting was held at Barasat, located in the North 24 Parganas district, the same district as Sandeshkhali. This visit comes in the wake of a dispute between Bengal Police and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over the custody of Sandeshkhali strongman Sheikh Shahjahan.
"Under TMC's rule, the women of this land have been tortured. Whatever happened in Sandeshkhali will put anyone to shame but the TMC govt does not care about your issues. TMC is putting efforts to protect the accused of the people of Bengal. The state govt has got a shock from the High Court as well as the Supreme Court. TMC leaders have done atrocities on the women of the state. TMC has full confidence in their leader but not in the women of West Bengal," Modi said.
He further said that the TMC government can never provide protection to women and that the BJP gave life imprisoment to people proven guilty of crimes like rape.
"TMC government can never provide protection to women. Whereas, the BJP government has decided to award life imprisonment for heinous crimes like rape. For easy registration of women's complaints, we have arranged for a 'Women Helpline', but the TMC govt is not letting it operate in West Bengal. This TMC government can never work for the welfare of women...," PM Modi said.
Sandeshkhali has been in the national spotlight over alleged sexual harassment, land grab, and extortion by local Trinamool leaders led by Shahjahan. The BJP aims to bring women from Sandeshkhali to the event to highlight women's safety issues. Shahjahan, who was on the run for 52 days, has been arrested and expelled by the Mamata Banerjee-led party.
He is currently with Bengal police, but the BJP alleges that justice will not be served until he is questioned by the CBI. The Calcutta High Court ordered Bengal Police to hand over Shahjahan's custody to the CBI, which was subsequently challenged by the Trinamool government in the Supreme Court.
The state government has been asked to mention its plea before the Registrar-General for a date. Bengal Police refused to hand over Shahjahan to the CBI, stating that the matter is before the Supreme Court and the transfer must take place only after a court ruling.
The BJP is keen on keeping the Sandeshkhali issue alive as it heads into the polls. Prior to the Barasat event, Modi inaugurated several routes of Kolkata Metro, including the country's first underwater Metro rail stretch, which passes beneath the Ganga river.