In a significant development, five women from Sandeshkhali, West Bengal, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi today on March 6 and raised concerns about the alleged threats they continue to face from suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan.
The meeting between the women and Prime Minister Modi took place in the aftermath of a public rally addressed by the Prime Minister in Barasat, located in the North 24 Parganas district, where Sandeshkhali is situated.
According to the women, Sheikh Shahjahan and his associates have been accused of perpetrating sexual harassment and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali. Despite Shahjahan’s suspension from the Trinamool Congress, the women claim that the threats and intimidation tactics against them persist.
The women’s allegations highlight the ongoing challenges faced by residents of Sandeshkhali and underscore the need for immediate intervention to address the situation. Prime Minister Modi’s attention to the matter reflects a proactive approach towards addressing issues of women’s safety and security in the region.
The meeting with the Prime Minister serves as a platform for the women to voice their grievances and seek assistance in ensuring their safety and protection from further harm. It also underscores the importance of political leaders taking concrete actions to address instances of harassment and intimidation within their own parties.
Earlier in the day, several women supporters of the party from Sandeshkhali were seen making their way to the rally venue to listen to the Prime Minister.One of the women who was marching to Barasat said, “All our respect is gone and the way we got tortured we are going to say all this to our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and we wish to have Modi Ji by our side and help us.”
Another woman from Sandeshkhali said that they wanted to urge PM Modi to allow them to cast their vote without fear. “We are going to PM Modi to urge him to ensure that we can cast our vote, justice for atrocities against women and peace,” she said.
These women who are making their way to attend PM Modi’s rally said that they just want to live in peace and escape the tyranny of some politicians. “We want to live in peace. People like Shibu Hazra, Sheikh Shahjahan and Uttam Sardar should not come back. We can cast our votes ourselves,” a woman said.
Calling the women of Sandeshkhali, his parivar (family), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of shielding the accused in the Sandeshkhali case and said that it is a “matter of shame.”
“Under TMC’s rule, the women of this land have been tortured. Whatever happened in Sandeshkhali will put anyone to shame but the TMC government does not care about your issues. TMC government is hell-bent on saving the perpetrator. Their acts were first condemned by the High Court and then the Supreme Court as well. TMC leaders have committed atrocities on the women of the state. Leaders of TMC are torturing the women from poor, Dalit, and Adivasis groups. TMC govt trusts its leaders more than it trusts the women of Bengal. TMC has full confidence in their leader but not in the women of West Bengal,” the Prime Minister said.
“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 Helpine’, but the TMC government is not letting it operate in West Bengal. This TMC government can never work for the welfare of women,” the Prime Minister added.
Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday ordered that further investigation should be handed over to CBI and the custody of the accused, Sheikh Shahjahan by 4:15 pm. The court observed that the state police have played hide and seek in the matter. The accused is a highly political influencer. (ANI)
As the allegations against Sheikh Shahjahan continue to garner attention, it remains to be seen how the authorities will respond to ensure justice for the affected women and hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions.
The meeting between Prime Minister Modi and the women from Sandeshkhali underscores the significance of empowering women to speak out against injustice and reaffirms the government’s commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of every citizen.
