Six members of an independent fact-finding committee, led by former Chief Justice of Patna High Court L Narasimha Reddy, was stopped by police as they were proceeding to trouble-torn Sandeshkhali area in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district to probe alleged incidents of atrocities on women.
Citing Section 144 CrPC was in force in parts of Sandeshkhali and it would not be prudent to allow them access to the area even in groups of four-five, senior police officers stopped their convoy at the Bhojerhat area, which is around 52 km from the riverine area, on Basanti Highway.
Mr. Reddy, accompanied by former IPS officer Raj Pal Singh, former National Commission for Women member Charu Wali Khanna, advocates O. P. Vyas and Bhavna Bajaj, and senior journalist Sanjeev Nayak, sat on the wayside vowing to proceed to the area as high drama followed.
"This is completely illegal. We have told the police personnel as law-abiding citizens we will not break rules. No curfew has been imposed in Sandeshkhali. So we can go in two groups. At least two of our women members should be allowed to visit the females who had bore the brunt of atrocities of musclemen enjoying political patronage and impunity from police action in all these days till the media unravelled the shocking truth", Mr. Reddy said.
Claiming they were given a copy of the section 144 order as they set off for the journey, he said, “The administration cannot stop civil society members of the country to interact with victims of human rights violation. What they (administration) are scared to hide?.”
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He recalled the panel members had been stopped from visiting certain pockets of Howrah, singed by clashes between two groups during Ram Navami, halted at Howrah Bridge last year though others from the ruling party were allowed to go.
Another member of the group told reporters they would "peacefully sit on one side of the road", without hindering the movement of vehicles till being allowed to proceed.
The group comprising former judge, bureaucrats and journalist was slated to visit Sandeshkhali on February 25 to also probe alleged incidents of Trinamool Congress leaders grabbing residents land to convert into Bheris (fish farm).
They are scheduled to visit Majherpara, Natun para, Patra para and Naskarpara Ras temple under the jurisdiction of Sandeshkhali police station limits.
The committee is slated to submit a report to the constitutional authorities.
A few days back a fact-finding team of BJP — consisting of Union Minister Annapurna Devi, Pratima Bhowmik, MP Sunita Duggal, Kavita Patidar, Sangeeta Yadav and Rajya Sabha member and former Director General of Police of Uttar Pradesh Brij Lal was stopped by police from entering Sandeshkhali.
TMC delegation visits again
A Trinamool Congress delegation visited the Sandeshkhali for the second consecutive day on Feb, 25 and heard the grievances of villagers who have been protesting against alleged atrocities by local leaders of the ruling party.
The delegation, comprising State ministers Partha Bhowmick and Sujit Bose, visited the Bermajur area, which witnessed violent protests recently. They sought one-and-a-half months from locals to address their grievances.
The State ministers also urged villagers in restive Sandeshkhali to come up with their demands.
Mr. Bhowmick and Mr. Bose participated in a ‘kirtan’ (religious song) at a Radha Krishna temple and addressed a gathering there. “Give us one-and-a-half months. We have promised that all the land grab incidents which had been reported will be verified. We cannot solve all the problems in one go. To address the issues, there are official procedures that need time to be completed,” Bhowmik, the State irrigation minister, said.
He also said they were physically present at Sandeshkhali for the second day in a row to encourage everyone to come up with their grievances and claimed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is committed to “wipe tears of every resident of the area”.
Mr. Bhowmick said he and Mr. Bose, the fire and emergency services minister, will visit the riverine belt regularly in the coming days and hold parleys with the villagers.
Asked about action against the local Trinamool Congress leaders against whom the villagers, including women, have levelled allegations, he said, “We have already removed them from party posts and the police have initiated investigations.” “We are here to hear from you. Don’t consider us as outsiders,” Mr. Bose told the gathering.
The ministers were accompanied by Sandeshkhali MLA Sukumar Mahato who also claimed that allegations of “improper activities by some leaders of the party were being expeditiously addressed with the involvement of police and administration”.
The riverine Sandeshkhali area in North 24 Parganas district has been on the boil for more than a month with protests against local Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan, who is absconding, and his supporters over allegations of land grabs and sexual abuse of locals.
Around 100 women in the locality protested against the visit of Trinamool ministers, holding posters ‘Sujit Bose Go Back,’ demanding the arrest of the local Trinamool strongman Shahjahan. “We don’t have faith in such visits. These are photo sessions by leaders of Trinamool. What prevented them from visiting the area earlier when we faced sexual assault,” Parul Dasi, one agitating woman with her face covered with clothes, said.
This was the fourth visit to Sandeshkhali by the ruling party leaders, amid protests by villagers against alleged land grab and sexual assault on women by the local Trinamool Congess leader and his supporters.
“The Opposition might try to fish in troubled waters but the people of the area have full faith in Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee,” Mr. Bose told presspersons after visiting the area on Saturday. The police have been patrolling the area to instil confidence among the villagers and maintain the law and order there.
