BJP Gains Big as Ghost of Sandeshkhali Horror Haunts TMC

Sandeshkhali: The massive uprising in Sandeshkhali has led to the BJP capitalising on the strategic opportunity to counter the TMC against several underlying issues in the state including the present deteriorated situation of the law and order in the state and the escalating dissent and anger among the locals against the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government. 

Why is Sandeshkhali in the spotlight in this election?

For weeks now, Sandeshkhali has been caught in the eye of a massive political storm, especially given the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024 given several TMC leaders being incarcerated. 

As the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared a raging war on the massive atrocities Sandeshkhali has witnessed, the TMC helmed by Banerjee has been locking horns over the allegations of the BJP and shielding its party leaders including the arrested accused Shahjahan Sheikh allegedly responsible of mass rapes and cases of land grabbing in Sandeshkhali. 

In the intense political slugfest, the BJP made a strong political move by fielding Rekha Patra as its candidate from the Basirhat constituency in West Bengal for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls against TMC's Haji Nurul Islam. 

Patra is one of the many women who faced violence in Sandeshkhali at the hands of Sheikh and his cohort. Patra was also the first one to file a case in the Sandeshkhali horror. 

The BJP has successfully managed to capitalise on this public outrage thereby significantly impacting the political landscape of the TMC-dominated state. With high chances of the BJP emerging as the leading party in Bengal is likely to bring in a broader shift in the power dynamics in the state. 

Though the BJP has relied heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charm and powerful speeches in the state, it has also seen a significant shift in the positioning of senior BJP leaders including Subhendu Adhikari and Sukanta Majumdar for good. 

What did the Calcutta High Court observe in the Sandeshkhali probe? 

The West Bengal government, on Friday, moved the Supreme Court challenging the orders of the Calcutta High Court's decision directing a CBI probe in the land grabbing and sexual assault in Sandeshkhali.

The matter will be heard on April 29 by the Supreme Court's bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta.

The Calcutta High Court, in its order last week, had stated, “It goes without saying that CBI shall have the power to require any person, organisation, government authority, police authorities, quasi governmental authorities, NGOs, public spirited persons and others who may be genuinely interested in the matter to furnish information on such point or matters, as in its opinion may be useful for, or relevant to the subject matter,”

Citing May 2 as the next date of hearing, the court stated, “This court shall monitor the entire investigation and shall pass further orders after the reports as directed above are filed by CBI."

It added, “With regard to the protection to the victims and witnesses, CBI shall issue necessary directions to the state police as to how and in what manner protection can be granted without insisting upon the strict procedure as stipulated under the witness protection scheme."

West Bengal Police, on February 29, arrested Shahjahan Sheikh, a former TMC zila parishad leader, on the orders of the Calcutta High Court after being on the run for 55 days. The suspended TMC leader's arrest came three days after the Calcutta High Court criticised the Bengal Police for delaying his arrest. 

Sheikh was handed over to the CBI under court orders even though the West Bengal-led CID team had taken over the probe. 

Shahjahan's 'swag' has disappeared, says BJP

Shredding apart the arrested accused Shahjahan, the BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya, on Wednesday, took a jibe at the suspended TMC leader after the former was seen weeping in a video that went viral. 

Malviya, on X, wrote, "The swag has disappeared. Mamata Banerjee’s poster boy - rapist Sheikh Shahjahan is weeping like an inconsolable child. Criminal Anubroto Mondal is in jail. This is the fate that awaits the likes of Saokat Mollah, Jehangir Khan and others, who have unleashed a reign of terror across Bengal. No one will come to save them when law catches up. Not Mamata Banerjee for sure. She couldn’t even save her ministers. The clock is ticking. #Sandeshkhali."