The Trinamool Congress has taken action against Sheikh Shahjahan, the alleged mastermind behind the assault on ED and CAPF teams in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas district, on January 5. State Education Minister Bratya Basu announced on Thursday that Shahjahan has been suspended from the party for a period of six years.
Shahjahan, who was apprehended from Minakhah in North 24 Parganas district after being on the run for 55 days, was remanded to 10-day police custody by a district court on Thursday. He is known locally as a Trinamool strongman in Sandeshkhali and is also accused of intimidating villagers in the troubled area.
Bratya Basu emphasized that the decision to suspend Shahjahan highlights the Trinamool Congress's commitment to taking action against individuals facing specific allegations. He asserted that this approach is consistent with the party's previous actions.
Basu drew a comparison between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP, challenging the Prime Minister to take similar actions against party leaders such as Suvendu Adhikari, Narayan Rane, and Himanta Biswa Sarma. He questioned the lack of action against the Chief Minister of Manipur and BJP leaders like Brij Bhusan.
In response, state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar dismissed the suspension as a mere attempt at saving face. He alleged that the arrest and suspension were orchestrated as part of a scripted drama. Majumdar criticized the manner in which Shahjahan entered the district court, suggesting that it did not appear as though he was under arrest, but rather as if he had apprehended the police officers.
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