Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in his rival Mamata Banerjee's turf West Bengal on Wednesday, launched a scathing attack at the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) over the Sandeshkhali issue and said that the storm of Sandeshkhali will reach every part of the state. Five women from Sandeshkhali also reportedly met PM Modi on Wednesday.
PM Modi was addressing a rally in North 24 Parganas district, where trouble-torn Sandeshkhali is situated. Sandeshkhali has been hitting the headlines over allegations by scores of women against now-arrested TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh of land-grabbing and sexual violence.
TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh was arrested last week in a case pertaining to mob attack on a team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) when they had gone to search his premises in Sandeshkhali on January 5 in connection with a ration scam probe.
Addressing the women's rally on Wednesday in Barasat, PM Modi said whatever happened with women in Sandeshkhali "is matter of shame." PM Modi also said that the BJP government has arranged a Women Helpline for easy registration of complaints, however, the TMC-led government of Bengal is not letting that operate.
"TMC government can never provide protection to women. Whereas, the BJP government has decided to award life imprisonment for heinous crimes like rape. For easy registration of women's complaints, we have arranged for a 'Women Helpine', but the TMC government is not letting it operate in West Bengal. This TMC govt can never work for the welfare of women...," PM Modi said.
"Under TMC's rule, the women of this land have been tortured. Whatever happened in Sandeshkhali will put anyone to shame but the TMC government does not care about your issues," PM Modi said.
TMC is putting efforts to protect the accused of the people of Bengal, PM Modi said, adding that the state government has got a "shock from the High Court as well as the Supreme Court."
"TMC leaders have done atrocities on the women of the state. TMC has full confidence in their leader but not in the women of West Bengal," PM Modi added.
BJP sources said the women from Sandeshkhali PM Modi met on Wednesday became emotional while narrating their ordeal to him as he heard them patiently "like a father figure". He understood their pain, sources cited in a PTI report said.
PM Modi was in West Bengal's Kolkata also on Wednesday to launch country's first underwater metro.
