Amid the ongoing controversy over the allegations of systemic sexual exploitation of women by Trinamool members in the Sandeshkhali region of West Bengal, it has come to the fore that Nusrat Jahan, Actress and Trinamool Lok Sabha MP from Basirhat, the constituency that covers Sandeshkhali, has opted to remain silent over the issue. The TMC MP instead is busy posting reels on Instagram, celebrating Valentine’s week, and promoting her new release ‘Sentimental’ on social media platforms.
Jahan who is also a film actress, could be seen posting a couple of Instagram reels celebrating 4 successful weeks of her new movie. Meanwhile, several social media users criticized the ‘leader’ for maintaining silence over violence in Sandeshkhali.
“You are so shameless. You have nothing to say on Sandeshkhali,” commented one of the users. Meanwhile, the other one indicated that the ‘leader’ needed to focus on the current political situation in the state.
The TMC MP seems to have posted around 7-8 posts on Instagram after 8th February, the day on which hundreds of women from Sandeshkhali took to the streets demanding the arrest of TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his two aides Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar.
Notably, the West Bengal unit of the BJP also published a post on X criticizing the TMC MP for celebrating Valentine’s week instead of focusing on violence in Sandeshkhali.
“When Shahjahan Sheikh and his henchmen are holding Hindu women in confinement and raping them in the TMC office, Nusrat Jahan, TMC MP from Basirhat (of which Sandeshkhali is a part) is busy making reels for Insta and Facebook! Shame on Mamata Banerjee and her MPs,” a post by BJP read.
When Shahjahan Sheikh and his henchmen are holding Hindu women in confinement and raping them in TMC office, Nusrat Jahan, TMC MP from Basirhat (of which Sandeshkhali is a part) is busy making reels for Insta and Facebook!
— BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) February 13, 2024
Shame on Mamata Banerjee and her MPs. pic.twitter.com/qU6aQcVAJM
However, Jahan commented on the issue on 12th February saying that the government was completely looking into the matter. “One should not provoke and instigate others but should support the state administration unitedly. The state government is doing what is necessary, and the officials are tirelessly aiding the locals,” she was quoted as saying.
“This incident should not be politicized. It’s our job to put out the fire. Not to add fuel to the fire… As a public representative, I am in constant contact with the officials,” added Nusrat Jahan.
However, Nusrat Jahan’s assertions that Bengal government officials were assisting the locals contradicted the statements of National Commission for Women Chairperson Rekha Sharma. “According to my team that visited Sandeshkali, police have filed complaints against the relatives of women victims instead of filing their complaints. Villagers are being terrified equally by goons and by the police. This is the way Mamta treats women in West Bengal,” Rekha Sharma posted on X.
According to my team who has visited #Sandeshkali, police has filed complaints against the relatives of women victims instead of filing their complaints. Villagers are been terrified equally by goons and by the police. This is the way Mamta did treats women in West Bengal.…
— Rekha Sharma (@sharmarekha) February 13, 2024
“NCW is deeply disturbed by reports alleging the wrongful confinement and rape of Hindu women in Basirhat, West Bengal by Sheikh Shahjahan at the TMC party office. We condemn these incidents and urge swift action,” NCW wrote on X on 10th February.
Interestingly, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is also said to have remained silent on the allegations of sexual exploitation against Sheikh Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali. Mamta Banerjee said, “I sent our state women’s commission team there. They have submitted a report to me. Police have already started arresting those accused of spreading violence there.”
Neither Banerjee nor Jahan further happened to deny the allegations leveled against Sheikh.
The Calcutta High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of claims of sexual assault of women “at gunpoint” and the transfer of tribal land in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, and ordered the state administration to submit a report by 20th February.
Violence in Sandeshkhali
Hundreds of women residents of Sandeshkhali took to the streets on Thursday (8th February) with brooms, sticks, and farming tools, and blocked the roads. They demanded the immediate arrest of TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his two aides Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar.
The women had accused the trio of making their lives miserable for quite some time. The tension intensified on Friday (9th February) after angry villagers, led by women, in and around the Sandeshkhali area of North 24 Parganas, attacked the properties of Sheikh Shahjahan including a poultry farm owned by Shahjahan’s close confidant and Trinamool Congress leader Shibu Hazra.
The locals said that the poultry farm was set up on a plot of land that the Trinamool Congress leader had forcefully usurped. They also said that the poultry farm had developed into a centre for several illicit operations.
Locals also stated several other instances where Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides had forcefully grabbed lands from poor villagers.
On Saturday (10th February), the local police imposed Section 144 in various areas in Sandeshkhali and also banned the use of the internet in 16 panchayats scattered over the two blocks of Sandeshkhali-I and Sandeshkhali-II.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Archana Majumdar has said that TMC members and the local police “jointly raided” the houses of protesting women and BJP workers. Majumdar said that the police even arrested and tortured them.
In a bid to pacify the angry villagers of Sandeshkhali, the TMC leadership suspended Uttam Sardar from the party for six years. The suspended TMC leader and Zilla Parishad member was subsequently arrested in the Sandeshkhali police station area.
In the meantime, the Mamata Banerjee-led-TMC government arrested a former CPI(M) MLA named Nirpada Sardar in connection to the case on Sunday (11th February).
The Communist party leader was taken from his residence in Tollygunge to the Babsdroni police station. Thereafter, he was transferred to the Basirhat police station in North 24 Parganas district.
Nirpada Sarkar was arrested under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 120 B, 147, 148, 149, 379, 427,435, and 436. The family of the CPIM MLA, who won from the Sandeshkhali constituency in 2011, said that the arrest of Nirapada Sardar was made without any prior notice.
