The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has unveiled a documentary shedding light on the ongoing turmoil in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali, where women protesting against sexual harassment and violence have labeled the fugitive Trinamool Congress leader, Sheikh Shahjahan, as the "de facto President" of the small cluster of islands.
Expressing their distress, the protesting women emphasized that peace in Sandeshkhali can only be restored through the imposition of President's Rule. "We sincerely believe that our safety hinges upon the imposition of President's Rule," echoed the sentiments of many local women featured in the video.
The women also accused the state police of shielding and condoning the wrongdoings of Shahjahan and his cohorts. They asserted that the overt support from the police emboldened the absconding leader and his associates to perpetrate oppression against the local villagers, especially women.
Recounting their harrowing experiences, one woman revealed how Shahjahan's associates would target and summon women to the local party office early in the morning, subjecting those who refused to comply to severe oppression, including physical abuse, land confiscation, and forced labor in businesses operated by them.
Another protester highlighted the nexus between the local police and Shahjahan, stating that anyone seeking recourse against oppression was redirected by the cops to Shahjahan and his associates for resolution.
Dismissing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's allegations that the protests in Sandeshkhali were orchestrated by "outsiders" backed by opposition parties like the BJP and CPI(M), the women reiterated their long-standing allegiance to the Trinamool Congress. However, they emphasized that their loyalty to the ruling party did not shield them from the tyranny of Shahjahan and his allies. Furthermore, they rebuffed claims of outsider involvement in the protests, asserting that the dissenters were local residents deeply impacted by the prevailing oppression.
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