Trinamul Leader Questions CBI's Handling of Sandeshkhali Case, Accuses Centre of Targeting Local Leaders

Abhishek Banerjee, national general secretary of the Trinamul Congress, has questioned the CBI's decision to not arrest Uttam Sardar and Shib Prasad Hazra, who are suspected of abusing women in Sandeshkhali. He further claims that by detaining local officials, the Centre is undermining the party.

At a public meeting on Wednesday afternoon in Basirhat, close to Sandeshkhali, the Trinamul leader took aim at both the CBI and the central BJP government. After the rebellion against Trinamul leaders on the island in North 24-Parganas during the first week of February, this was his first gathering close to Sandeshkhali.

"Those who discuss Nari Samman ought to respond to one question. Shib Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar were the targets of allegations. The state authorities took them into custody. However, since the CBI took over the investigation, 15 days have gone. Why aren't they in the custody of the CBI yet? Why hasn't the CBI made a demand for the two's custody yet? Abhishek was asked.

He was speaking during a rally in support of Haji Nurul Islam, the Basirhat Lok Sabha candidate from Trinamul. The rally was held on the BSF ground. Basirhat is where Sandeshkhali is located.

"The only goal is to make Trinamul's organization weaker. The goal of the BJP is to deceive people, not to ensure the protection of women, according to Abhishek. He asserted that the BJP and the central agencies were now interchangeable.

The MP for Diamond Harbour said that the public would respond appropriately to the BJP in the polls for intimidating Trinamul leaders with the help of government agencies.

He added that although Uttam and Shib Prasad were being accused of sexual harassment, opposition parties were only worried with Sheikh Shahjahan's imprisonment.

"Sanshkhali has not been visited by any other leaders or groups since Shahjahan was imprisoned. This indicates that Shahjahan's arrest was the goal, according to Abhishek. He continued by saying that Trinamul did not defend any leader engaged in wrongdoing or misconduct.

"We will not tolerate any misconduct at all. Sudipto Sen, the chairman of the Saradha group, or Sheikh Shahjahan? Not by any central agency, but by Bengal police, they were all taken into custody. We have made sure that Jyoti Priya Mallick and Partha Chatterjee, our leaders, face consequences. However, Abhishek stated that the Opposition is merely focused on politics.

"They talk about women's safety and Nari Samman, yet they haven't been able to take action against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, BJP MP. He had been accused of molestation by female wrestlers. He was nevertheless given cozy positions. But the MP for Diamond Harbour claimed that Mamata Banerjee locks up the culprits in response to complaints.

Former chief minister of Karnataka and BJP leader B.S. Yediyurappa was named as an accused in a Pocso case, but the party had not taken any action against him, according to Abhishek.

Has the ED-CBI implemented any measures? It was only after the courts requested it that they take action against Kuldeep Sengar, the accused in the Unnao case," he added.

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