Sandeshkhali violence: "Police resorted to lathi charge, arrested workers", says BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar

North 24 Parganas (West Bengal) [India], February 13 (ANI): As leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were protesting against the situation in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district, party state president Sukanta Majumdar said that the police initially resorted to a lathi charge on their party workers, followed by pelting stones, deploying tear gas shells, and subsequently arresting them.
Majumdar alleged that Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers had been involved in the rape of women in Sandeshkhali for months.
The BJP had planned to march to the SP's office to demand the arrest of TMC leaders connected to the incident.
"First, police resorted to lathi charge, it then pelted stones and later tear gas shells were used on our workers. Then, our workers were arrested," Majumdar said speaking to ANI after clashes with police personnel on their way to Basirhat Superintendent of Police (SP) office.
Majumdar alleged that TMC workers have been raping women in Sandeshkhali for months and hence they had planned to march to the SP's office demanding the arrest of the TMC leaders involved in the incident.
"In Sandeshkhali, TMC workers have been raping women for months now - Sheikh Shahjahan, Shibu Hajra and Uttam Sardar are raping them. We had come to the SP peacefully with the demand to arrest them. If they do not arrest them in Sandeshkhali how will the women in Sandeshkhali gain confidence?" Majumdar said.
Majumdar said that the police left no one and even he got injured in the stone-pelting.
"Today, police shattered democracy. They lathi-charged our workers, our leadership. They left no one. Even I got injured in stone pelting. This can't go on," the BJP state president said.
Majumdar said that they would be sitting in protest throughout the night if their party workers are not released.
"We also demand that our arrested workers be released. If this is not done, we will sit here all through the night," he said.
Meanwhile, Calcutta High Court Justice Abhijit Ganguly said that it is not a familiar phenomenon in West Bengal and he is very angry.
"I have never heard anything like this since I heard it on TV...They were forcibly taken to meetings. Previously, other political parties were forcibly taken. Although it is known, being called at night is not a very familiar phenomenon to me in West Bengal. I can say personally, I am very angry. I have kept my mouth shut for now," Ganguly said.
Clashes broke out between the police and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers who marched to North 24 Parganas' Basirhat Superintendent of Police (SP) office on Tuesday, day after the police prevented them from reaching the violence-hit village. Sandeshkhali is under the purview of the Basirhat police station.
Police personnel were seen charging party workers as the latter broke through barricades and entered the village. Scenes of chaos filled the village as the police resorted to lathi-charge to drive away the protesters.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) countered by posting a video of the protesters pelting stones saying that the purpose of the BJP's visit to Sandeshkhali was to unleash "hooliganism".
"@BJP4Bengal didn't visit Sandeshkhali to seek justice. Their purpose was to unleash HOOLIGANISM! Under the watch of @DrSukantaBJP, BJP workers were caught red-handed pelting stones, resulting in a woman suffering severe injuries. And these hypocrites dare to preach about women's safety!" the TMC said in a post on 'X'.
Earlier, locals, particularly women, marched through various sections of Sandeshkhali, carrying slippers in their hands, demanding the arrest of TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh in an alleged land ration allotment scam and the alleged rape incidents. (ANI)