The haunting tales of Sandeshkhali, a region marred by violence and unrest, continue to unravel with yet another distressing incident coming to light. In a disturbing turn of events, a minor girl was reportedly arrested by the West Bengal police ahead of her board exams, sending shockwaves across the state. The reason behind her arrest was that her mother was present in the protest against Trinamool Congress goon Sheikh Shahjahan, whose terror and atrocities against women had crossed all limits.
This incident sheds light on the chilling reality faced by residents of Sandeshkhali, where dissent is met with heavy-handed measures by authorities. The role of the West Bengal police in the alleged arrest drew sharp criticism, particularly in a state led by a woman Chief Minister. Many expressed dismay over the use of excessive force and intimidation tactics against dissenting voices, especially targeting innocent individuals like the minor girl in question.
Amidst the darkness, a ray of hope emerged through the intervention of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). The student organisation, known for its commitment to justice and students’ welfare, launched a determined effort to secure the release of the unjustly detained minor. Their relentless pursuit of justice echoed the importance of standing up against such oppressive actions.
Members of the ABVP came out in large numbers to protest the arrest of the girl and the injustice that was happening against the women in Sandeshkhali. It was due to the relentless efforts of the ABVP that, after two days of arrest, she was released.
The incident not only exposes the vulnerability of those raising their voices against injustice but also questions the very essence of democracy and freedom of expression. The arrest of a minor student on grounds unrelated to her actions raises concerns about the misuse of power and authority.
Another harrowing incident came to light when the police detained a high school student from Jhupkhalia the day before the exam. One could see the mother of the detained son crying unconsolably.
Once again, Sandeshkhali is rocked by a harrowing act of brutality:
When police detain HS students from Jhupkhali, villagers demand answers, but are met with violence as one woman's foot is tragically crushed by a police vehicle.
How much longer will Mamata Banerjee's regime… pic.twitter.com/hdpvV73foS
— BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) February 23, 2024
Since the past few days, Sandeshkhali has been in the news for all the wrong reasons, as the TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan attacked the team of Enforcement Directorate officials who had come to interrogate him in cases of graft. What shook the nation was the plight of the women, when their heartbreaking stories came to the fore.
Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district saw widespread protests against Trinamool Congress (TMC) strongman Shahjahan Sheikh when a section of women were seeking justice against alleged atrocities committed by the TMC leader.
A large number of women in Sandeshkhali accused Shajahan Sheikh and his close aides of “land-grab and sexual assault” under coercion.
It was after a lot of hue and cry and judicial intervention that the prime accused, Sandeshkhali Sheikh Shahjahan was arrested after being on a run for almost a month. Later, he was sent to police custody of at at least 14 days.
The lawlessness and siding of the West Bengal government with the culprit is evident from the fact that the administration did not let the fact finding committee visit Sandeshkhali and expose the truth. In the past, the Chairman of the National Commission of Women Rekha Sharma had also aired some chilling stories from Sandeshkhali.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the recent visit to West Bengal alleged that the TMC had no “intention” to get the prime accused arrested in the Sandeshkhali incident. “But the nari shakti of Bengal stood like a Durga (goddess Durga).
“In Bengal, the police do not decide when a criminal must be arrested; it’s the criminal who decides everything for himself. The state government did not want the accused in the Sandeshkhali incident to be arrested…,” the Prime Minister said.
He said every worker of the BJP stood with the women of Sandeshkhali (in their struggle for justice. “Then the state government relented,” referring to the arrest of Sheikh Shahjahan .
In the end, we all need to remember that the minor girl’s arrest and the way the voice of victimised women is being stifled truly serve as a poignant reminder of the precarious situation faced by ordinary citizens in conflict zones, where dissent is met with repression and resistance is met with retaliation.
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