Bengal | Sandeshkhali row takes new turn as two women withdraw rape complaint

The Sandeshkhali row in West Bengal took a dramatic turn after two women withdrew charges of rape earlier hurled at Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, saying they were forced into making the complaint by those linked to the BJP.

A woman and her mother-in-law alleged that they were tricked into signing blank papers after they spoke about non-receipt of wages and they learnt later that had been dubbed rape victims in Sandeshkhali.

West Bengal’s ruling TMC immediately went on the offensive, accusing the BJP of using women to score political brownie points.

TMC slams BJP

Trinamool MP Sushmita Dev alleged that the BJP was threatening the “courageous women of Sandeshkhali for daring to speak out against” the Opposition party.

“How much longer will this party persist in spinning webs of deceit, shamelessly trampling on the dignity of our mothers and sisters for their own political greed?” she asked.

Bengal’s Minister for Women and Child Development Shashi Panja said the women who withdrew the allegation of rape had been threatened by local BJP leaders. “The BJP orchestrated the drama and now they are threatening the women,” she said.

Women’s version

One of the women told the media that a team from the National Commission for Women visited the island of Sandeshkhali. They told the team they had not got money as part of the 100 days' job scheme.

Insisting that no rape had happened, the woman said: “She (Piyali Das) made us sign on a blank sheet." The woman said she later heard she was on the list of women who had alleged rape by Trinamool leaders. The woman's daughters-in-law accused Piyali Das of defaming Sandeshkhali.

"She is an outsider. We don't know how she has information about everyone here… We later came to know she is with the BJP. She should be punished for lying to us and trapping us.”

The women alleged that she and her family were now receiving threats for withdrawing the rape complaint.

Complaint filed

The TMC has filed a complaint with the Election Commission against several BJP leaders including Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, accusing them of levelling fabricated allegations.

The island of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas grabbed headlines in February when residents accused TMC strongman Sheikh Shahjahan and his supporters of harassing them. Shahjahan, since sacked from the party, was arrested after a mob attack on officials of the Enforcement Directorate.

Revealing video

A week ago, a local BJP leader was heard saying in a video that all the complaints against TMC leaders over Sandeshkhali were made at the best of Suvendhu Adhikari.

However, the BJP alleged that the video is doctored. The BJP said the latest developments were actually an attempt by the TMC to do damage control. “Why is TMC responding now? Why were they quiet for two-three months? They earlier said the women (of Sandeshkhali) were lying, now they are saying they were made to lie,” a BJP leader said.