Mamata Banerjee Sandeshkhali Visit: This is Mamata Banerjee’s first visit to Sandeshkhali since it was marred by large-scale protests earlier this year over allegations of land grabbing and sexual harassment by local Trinamool Congress leaders.
In a veiled attack on the BJP and other opposition parties, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused them of spending “huge money” to spread fake news in Sandeshkhali during her first visit in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment and land grabbing by local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders.
“Don’t entertain bad people here,” Banerjee said at a public event. “I know big money was spent here to spread fake news. But I will not say much about it. Lies don’t last long; the truth always comes to light.”
Without mentioning the violent protests against her government in the area earlier this year, Banerjee said all was forgotten. She also cautioned the women of Sandeshkhali, “Don’t be tricked by bad people. Even if someone comes and asks you to go with them, don’t.”
The TMC supremo is in Sandeshkhali to distribute benefits under various state government schemes and to address the concerns of locals. “I want the women and men of Sandeshkhali to be no. 1 in the world. We need to break the conspiracy, threats, and fake people,” she said.
Speaking to reporters at the state secretariat Nabanna last week, Banerjee had described her upcoming visit to the riverine island in the Sundarbans as part of a “government programme”.
“We have completed several pending programmes under ‘Lakshmir Bhandar,’ ‘Banglar Bari,’ and other schemes,” she had said. “Around 20,000 beneficiaries of the area will be benefitted from various state-run schemes. I hope to hand over certificates of various schemes to around 100 people from the stage.”
Banerjee also clarified that the visit was planned as part of a commitment made before the Lok Sabha elections. “People had asked me before the elections whether I would visit Sandeshkhali or not. I had told them that I would be going later,” she said.
Meanwhile, BJP Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has announced a counter-event in the area. The sexual harassment and land grab controversy in Sandeshkhali was a political flashpoint between the BJP and the ruling TMC.
Adhikari’s programme is scheduled for the day after Banerjee’s visit. According to a statement, he will lead a ‘Jana Sanjog Yatra’ to connect with local residents and highlight the BJP’s vision for the region.
In January, Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers were assaulted and their vehicles damaged when they attempted to raid the residence of TMC strongman Sheikh Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali while probing a multi-crore ration distribution scam.
Following the incident, several women in the area alleged that Shahjahan and his associates had seized land and sexually harassed them. These allegations led to increased demands from the opposition for Shahjahan’s immediate arrest, with the BJP, CPI(M), and Congress accusing the TMC administration of protecting him.
