Arrests of Political Leaders Heighten Tensions in Sandeshkhali: BJP and CPM Cry Foul

On Sunday, police detained Bikash Sinha, the district convener for the BJP in Basirhat and former CPM legislator Nirapada Sardar, on suspicion of inciting unrest in Sandeshkhali, North 24-Parganas.

The move, which occurred the day after Trinamul Congress leader Uttam Sardar was arrested, is seen as an effort to quell the widespread demonstrations against a faction of the governing party leadership.


Both the CPM and the BJP began separate statewide agitations after labelling the arrests as "illegal."

Since Nirapada was the one who claimed that Sheikh Shahjahan, the absconding Trinamul strongman, was being protected by police in a hideaway in Sandeshkhali, the CPM has accused there was a plot behind the arrest. Following an assault on a group of Enforcement Directorate personnel during a raid on his home on January 5, Shahjahan fled into hiding.

On Monday, the CPM has declared a 12-hour Sandeshkhali bandh.

Governor C.V. Ananda Bose ended his trip of Kerala and came back to Calcutta. He will visit Sandeshkhali on Monday.

Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the opposition in the assembly, intends to violate prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC on Monday by leading a group to Sandeshkhali.

In addition to other offenses, the police said that BJP's Sinha and CPM's Sardar had been detained for instigating violence. Based on a complaint filed by Trinamul block president Shibaprasad Hazra—a close assistant to Shahjahan and one of the two governing party officials that the locals took to the streets to protest against—the former Sandeshkhali MLA was taken into custody.

Insiders from Trinamul alleged that the arrests were carried out in order to bring back peace to Sandeshkhali, especially after women protested against Shahjahan, Uttam Sardar, and Hazra, accusing them of torturing them physically and financially.

The district administration of North 24-Parganas initiated an investigation into the claims of land grab made against Shahjahan and his associates. A group led by the block land and land reforms officer Sandeshkhali II was instructed to provide a report as soon as possible.

Hazra and Uttam Sardar's residences have been on fire since Wednesday, when the locals, armed with sticks and other weapons, broke into their homes.

"Our party has been on the back foot due to severe internal conflict, inaction of certain senior elected members, and the assault on ED officers, notwithstanding Mamata Banerjee's enormous popularity among women. In some areas, the CPM and the BJP are now active. A Trinamul leader said, "We learned that they incited women and drove many of our party activists out of the area, fueling the mass agitation in Sandeshkhali."

We have thereby identified a challenging scenario. With the arrest of a senior from each of the BJP, the CPM, and Trinamul, "it will send a clear message that no unruly behavior from any party will be tolerated," the speaker said.

The claims were denied by the CPM.

Md. Salim, state secretary of the CPM, said, "The ruling party is implicating our leaders to cover up its misdeeds."

Sukanta Majumdar, the head of the state BJP, said that Shahjahan's directives were still being followed by the police.

The governor has met with the chief of staff of the central forces and demanded a thorough report from Nabanna about the occurrences. Bose has made it clear that he would keep up the battle against corruption and violence in the state.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.