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A Reign Of Terror In Sandeshkhali

The Commune

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal, seems to operate beyond the bounds of the law. The TMC’s actions blatantly disregard the dignity of women, portraying a situation where the women in Sandeshkhali have been dehumanized to an extent where they are treated as less valuable than mere commodities. This deplorable condition has allowed TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his associates to exploit them with impunity.

Sandeshkhali situated in the Basirhat subdivision of the North 24 Parganas district within the Sunderbans, is an island near the Bangladesh border, accessible only by boat in West Bengal. It garnered national attention as local women in the village staged protests, leveling accusations of rape, sexual exploitation, and land grabbing against Sheikh Shahjahan, the Block president and Zila Parishad member of the Trinamool Congress in the North 24 Parganas district.

For more than a week since 8 February, West Bengal has been witnessing protests led by village women and BJP leaders, raising allegations of sexual harassment against village women and illegal land grabbing by local Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his two henchman, Uttam Sardar and Shibaparasd Hazra.

The women staging protests revealed to ANI news that they had been silent out of fear for Shahjahan, who wields significant influence in the area. Shahjahan has been on the run since last month when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided his home in connection to an alleged ration scam, providing the women with the courage to openly speak about the situation.

Local residents, like Kanika Das, expressed fear for their safety, citing mistreatment by leaders and concerns about their financial resources being targeted. Another woman speking to Indian Express disclosed that the women found the courage to speak out only after Sheikh Shahjahan went into hiding last month. She expressed, “You must understand how hard it is to speak up even now. But we did. Because Sheikh Shahjahan is absconding and TMC leaders are on the backfoot.”

Last week, as protests erupted, villagers armed with sticks and bamboo set Uttam Sardar’s poultry farm on fire, while properties belonging to another accused, Hazra, were also set ablaze. Demonstrations persisted for the seventh consecutive day on Wednesday, with a significant number of women participating in the streets, demanding the arrest of Sheikh Shajahan and his associates.

The West Bengal police, in response to the escalating tensions, announced a curfew in 19 pockets spanning seven villages of Sandeshkhali block-II, effective from 15 February 2024. This decision came a day after the Calcutta High Court invalidated the imposition of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) across Sandeshkhali, emphasizing that such orders should only be applied in areas identified as “troubled zones.”

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women (NCW) accused the local cops in the village of “threatening” the victims and “deterring” them from reporting cases.

West Bengal Police In Denial Mode

A crucial development in the narrative occurred when the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, remained silent for some time, only responding when opposition parties, especially the BJP, took the matter into their hands, aligning with women participating in the protests. Mamata’s state police denied the rape claims, asserting that no women had come forward to report such incidents. They accused the news media of spreading false information and warned of legal actions. However, women from Sandeshkhali insisted that their silence until now was due to fear of Sheikh Shahjahan, who holds significant influence in the area. Shahjahan has been on the run since the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided his home last month in connection to an alleged ration scam, providing the women with the courage to openly speak about the situation.

 

Suvendu Adhikari, BJP’s leader of opposition in West Bengal, highlighted the reign of terror established by Sheikh Shahjahan and his group, specifically targeting the dignity and modesty of women from the SC & ST communities while forcefully capturing land belonging to Janjatiyas & Tribals in the Sunderbans.

On February 13, the Calcutta High Court took suo moto cognisance of the incident, instructing the TMC government to submit a report by February 20 regarding the women’s allegations. Responding to the situation, BJP President J P Nadda formed a six-member committee, including five women MPs, to visit Sandeshkhali.

Sandeshkhali Women Reveal A Reign Of Terror

A startling revelation unfolded when the victims hesitantly began to speak out, claiming that women who had experienced sexual assault were being demanded to produce medical reports as proof. one of the women protesters from Sandeshkhali expressed “how can cases occurred six months or one year back can be proved by medical examination report. We are being asked to show medical report to prove rape… How can the women of the village come forward and say they have been raped? I have not been raped but this has happened with other women”

Another protester also raised concerns about the justification for providing medical reports in cases of sexual exploitation of women. she stated “They are asking us for medical report. Have they given us medical report after committing such crimes against us? How can we furnish medical report now? They are all married, have husbands. Papiya Sultana asked us to furnish medical report. How can anyone with husband, children furnish medical report of their assault? This is not possible. They will face questions from their children when they grow up”

Another Women protesters asserted that their neighbors were forcibly taken from their residences late at night and compelled to perform menial tasks.  She expressed, “They used to make us work forcefully, both men and women at 12 at night. They used to pick us up from our homes and made us work forcefully, even if some one is not well”

Another protesters conveyed that “We are hit by spade when we ask them for money. They ask us to come for meetings at 12 at night and made to do menial jobs. Those who are good-looking are taken someplace else.”

She further described that if women declined to accompany them during late hours, their husbands faced torment. She stated that filing complaints with the police was futile, as the authorities refused to register them. she said “If anyone complained against them in the police station, they did not file their complaints. If the complaint is against Sheikh Shahjahan or Shibu Hazra they did not take them. They used to tell us to solve our problems mutually”.

Local women have leveled allegations against Shahjahan and his associates, claiming that they have been subjected to assault and exploitation over an extended period. They asserted that they were frequently called to party offices, or school buildings for purported late-night meetings. Describing their harrowing experiences said, “Our neighbors used to say that they were picked up at night and dropped home in the morning. They used to tell us that a meeting had been called at 12 am. I have never been there. They used to make us work, whether cleaning party offices, cleaning schools or camps, football ground.”

The demonstrator further mentioned that anyone who dared to protest against them would be forcibly taken to the party office and physically assaulted with a spade. According to her, “Shibu Hazra does not live here. He is a resident of Jeliakhali. He has set up poultry farm, goat herding, and horticulture by confiscating land from common people. They used to take men from here and asked them to work. When they did not get their salary, they used to say that they do not have money with them. If someone protested, they used to take them to the party office and hit them with a spade. If someone wanted to work someplace else, they used to stop them and forced them to work there“.

Regarding allegations of sexual exploitation against women, a women expressed, “They are all scared of coming forth. No one trusts the police or the administration or government…We do not know what used to happen inside the room. No one used to say anything. They used to threaten them that they would kill their husbands, take away their children. Who would take such a risk?”

In an interview with the IndianExpress, a woman recounted, “They used to call us for meetings – sometimes of the SHG and sometimes of the party. Our husbands were not called. When we went there, there was a quick ‘party meeting’ saying we will have to work for its victory. Some of us cooked and a section of women, including me, were told to stay back. They would pull my saree and touch me inappropriately. I kept quiet because I knew what would have happened if I protested.”

At the residence of a local SHG leader, a woman in her twenties made similar allegations, stating, “They used to call us for meetings – sometimes of the SHG and sometimes of the party. Our husbands were not called. When we went there, there was a quick ‘party meeting’ saying we will have to work for its victory. Some of us cooked and a section of women, including me, were told to stay back. They would pull my saree and touch me inappropriately. I kept quiet because I knew what would have happened if I protested.” Additionaly she claimed that TMC leaders seized her family’s land, turning it into a fishery.

Torture and Assault Faced By Women, Their Husbands, And Innocent Children

The female protester mentioned that Shahjahan Sheikh and his associates subjected them to severe physical abuse, leading to hospitalization. She explained that women were not spared but to endure injuries “They used to hit women as well. They used to break their hands and legs. Many have been admitted to hospital for 3-4 days.”

She further alleged that individuals associated with Sheikh Shah Jahan, such as Shibu Hazra, Sonju, Ronju, and Dinobondhu, would take goods from their shops without making any payments and she claimed these associates threatening shopkeepers who requested payment. “There are many people associated with Sheikh Shahjahan and Shibu Hazra, like Sonju, Ronju, Dinobondhu. We want all of them to get arrested. They used to hit men, take items from their shops and did not pay them in return, they had huge dues. If someone asks money from them they threaten to break their shops or hit them“.

Addressing the abuse suffered by children, another female protester mentioned that they were handed pistols and liquor bottles, being encouraged to engage in politics instead of pursuing their education. She described “Children were tortured as well. Twelve-year-olds were asked to hold liquor bottles and pistols. They used to force them to get into politics to make both ends meet. They used to say that Didi is giving them Laxmir Bhandar, Swastha Sathi, and Kanyashree, why are you studying? You should come with us or else your parents will be killed. In this way, they used to lure them into politics.”

The demonstrator claimed that the football field, originally designated for all villagers, has been transformed into the Shahjahan Sheikh Football Ground, and access has been restricted. She stated “The ground was for all of us. Now they have named it Shahjahan Sheikh Football Ground and have stopped anyone from coming there. They have cut down all plants and vegetation around the ground and have made furniture for their home from that.”

The protesters further asserted that their land had been seized forcibly, and saline water was redirected to their agricultural fields, resulting in the destruction of their entire yield. She said,”They have confiscated our land forcefully. The farmers used to cultivate their crops. They had not yet harvested their produce. They have released saline water on these crops. Farmers were told that they would be given lease. But they not even paid the annual lease amount. Farmers have not been paid for the last three years.”

The demonstrator mentioned that the government has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 to suppress their protest. She stated, “They have implemented Section 144 to stop our agitation for our land and oppression against women. But we will not obey that.”

Another demonstrator lamented about the continuous disturbance, stating that they cannot experience tranquility as the authorities persistently knock on their doors during the night. She expressed “We cannot sleep throughout night. They ask us to open our doors but we do not do so. We don’t know if they are police because not all of them are in uniform…We are afraid if we can stay at our place at night or not.”

Another demonstrator expressed a lack of confidence in the state administration’s ability to apprehend Shah Jahan or Shibu and called for the intervention of the central government. She emphasized that “We will continue our protest till Shah Jahan is caught. We do not think Shah Jahan or Shibu will ever be caught by the state police. We want the central government to intervene. We want them to send their forces. We don’t trust the state government.”

Another demonstrators expressed their desire for the intervention of central forces and called for the apprehension of the culprits. One protester emphasized, “We want central forces to come in and safeguard us. We want to live peacefully. We are not from any party. We want the perpetrators to be arrested. If they come back again Sandeshkhali will turn into a graveyard.”

Viral videos circulating on social media depict instances of abuse following protests initiated by the victims in the village. Allegedly arriving at night, the police knocked on doors, verbally abused the villagers, and threatened the families.

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) recommends President’s rule in West Bengal following allegations of women harassment by TMC supporters in Sandeshkhali. The NCSC delegation visited the area after claims that TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and supporters forcibly seized land and harassed women.

The left-leaning liberals, who vociferously raised their voices on issues like Bilkis Bano, church burnings in Manipur, and other concerns for minorities, now maintain a conspicuous silence as if nothing significant is happening. Surprisingly, even the I.N.D.I alliance chooses to remain silent on this matter. Some individuals go to the extent of questioning the timing of these protests, expressing disbelief and disappointment. It is disheartening to witness literate individuals who comprehend the gravity of the situation yet find themselves bound by an ideology that hinders them from speaking out, compelling them to support their party’s minority appeasement without room for criticism.

Satheesh is a freelance writer.

(With Inputs From ANI & IndianExpress)

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