West Bengal BJP chief writes to NCST, seeks intervention over tribal women crawling case

After three tribal women were allegedly forced to perform "dandavat parikrama" (circumambulation in a prostrate position) as punishment for joining the BJP in West Bengal's Balurghat area, the state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar on Friday, wrote a letter to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST). In the letter, he requested the body to intervene in the recent women crawling case. 

In the letter to Harsh Chouhan, NCST Chairperson, Majumdar has highlighted that West Bengal cops have taken action against two accused named Anand Roy and Biswanth Das. But there has been no action against the main accused, Pradipta Chakraborty, a Trinamool Congress worker, Majumdar claimed. 

“The incident in question has caused great concern among the Scheduled Tribes community and it is disheartening to see the main accused is still at large. We have evidence that she is seen in videos and giving press bytes regarding the same incident. I urge you to take immediate action against Pradipta Chakraborty. We cannot allow this incident to go unpunished and justice must be served. The action of the West Bengal Police are unacceptable,” the letter reads.  

Wrote to Hon’ble Chairperson of @ncsthq Shri Harsh Chouhan ji about the West Bengal Govt’s inaction against the main accused Smt Pradipta Chakraborty in the recent case of atrocities against tribal sisters who joined BJP. pic.twitter.com/gF7YhflNRb

— Dr. Sukanta Majumdar (@DrSukantaBJP)

TMC switches district Women's wing president

Following the controversy, which raised severe allegations against the ruling TMC, the party's high authorities appointed tribal leader Snehalata Hembrom as the president of its Dakshin Dinajpur district women's wing in place of Pradipta Chakraborty, in whose presence the incident occurred. 

TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, while addressing a press conference, stated that the party stood for the dignity of tribals and women and strongly disapproved of any action which may lower their honour. He added "We condemned the action (of Pradipta) and removed her from the post. Appointment of Hemborm, a hard-working popular tribal woman leader of the district, reaffirms our commitment to the cause of Adivasi women," PTI reported. 

Earlier this month, a video made rounds on social media platforms that showed three women in Balurghat were seen crawling on the road, allegedly as punishment for exiting the ruling TMC and joining the saffron camp. Taking to Twitter, the handle of BJP Bengal said, "Women from the ST community joined the BJP & as a punishment, for the ‘crime’, the TMC made them perform the Dandavat Parikrama."