Since Wednesday morning, the politics of West Bengal have been in turmoil over Sandeshkhali. Gradually, it has stirred up national politics. A six-member fact-finding team appointed by BJP national president J.P. Nadda will visit West Bengal's Sandeshkhali on February 16 to investigate allegations of systematic sexual assaults of women.
The BJP is increasingly trying to take Sandeshkhali to the line of agitation in Singur-Nandigram. The Singur-Nandigram land movement was one of the two most important and major movements in the political scene of Bengal. The Singur-Nandigram agitation of the then opposition (mainly Trinamool) shook the foundations of the Left bastion in West Bengal. The left was dethroned. At that time, the BJP did not have much dominance in Bengal, but the BJP saw that incident as a model. During the Singur-Nandigram polls, the TMC was in opposition. BJP is the opposition in Sandeshkhali time.
In the last two days, BJP leaders have made repeated 'failed attempts' to enter Sandeshkhali. He has repeatedly faced police obstruction. They protested by sitting on the streets. Yet they are not giving up. As did the then opposition leader Mamata Banerjee and other TMC leaders during the Singur-Nandigram agitation.
The central leadership of the BJP had earlier been vocal about Sandeshkhali from Delhi. Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani has spoken out against the Sandeshkhali incident. He slammed the TMC government. Expelled TMC MP Mahua Moitra hit back at him. This time, under the leadership of Nadda himself, the central team of the BJP is coming directly to Sandeshkhali. It is clear from this that, before the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP wants to enter the field with Sandeshkhali.
The central leadership of the BJP had earlier been vocal about Sandeshkhali from Delhi. Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani has spoken out against the Sandeshkhali incident. She slammed the TMC government.
In the last two days, there have been repeated attempts by top BJP leaders and MLAs to enter Sandeshkhali, protests, resistance, and agitations. The BJP leadership is trying to spread the issue of Sandeshkhali at the national level through the visit of a delegation formed by JP Nadda. The BJP is trying to turn the Sandeshkhali movement into a big movement by confronting the administration without being confined to a particular perimeter.
On Wednesday, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar climbed on the bonnet of a police vehicle during a raid in Sandeshkhali. Sukanta Majumdar had called for a protest in front of the office of the superintendent of police of each district from 2 p.m. on Thursday before he fell ill due to 'attacks and torture' by the police. BJP leaders and workers started the programme on Thursday morning. That movement is also being taken to the level of a big movement. Police fired water cannons at protesters in Burdwan. There were protests elsewhere as well. From this, it is clear that the main opposition party is trying to spread the Sandeshkhali movement across the state in a planned way.
It is alleged that Trinamool leaders Sheikh Shahjahan, Uttam Sardar, and Shibprasad Hazra were tortured day after day in Sandeshkhali. It was claimed that the women were abducted and tortured at the TMC party office. The women of Sandeshkhali have also accused the police of indifference. Moreover, the locals allege that the land of the indigenous villagers has been forcibly occupied by the Trinamool leaders.
