TMC releases video to claim Sandeshkhali episode was BJP ‘conspiracy’

Amid the row over incidents in Sandeshkhali where allegations of sexual abuse against TMC leaders have surfaced, the party on Saturday (May 4) released a video on social media, claiming that the episode was a “conspiracy” by the BJP to defame West Bengal ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

In the purported video, a man named Gangadhar Kayl, who is a BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali, can be heard saying that leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, “Suvendu Adhikari is behind the whole conspiracy”.

Claims in video

The man alleged in the video that Adhikari had asked him and other BJP leaders of the area to “instigate three or four local women to level allegations of rape against three TMC leaders, including Shajahan Sheikh”.

The authenticity of the video posted by the TMC could not be verified immediately.

The local BJP leader was also heard saying that Nandigram MLA “Adhikari himself had planted guns at a house in Sandeshkhali, which was later shown as the seizure by central agencies”.

TMC’s post

In a post titled ‘Big expose on Sandeshkhali’ on X, the ruling TMC alleged that Adhikari created a “false narrative of mass rapes by paying money to local people to defame Bengal and Sandeshkhli”.

The party also alleged that the “viral video exposed how the BJP left no stone unturned to malign Bengal. From ‘mass rape’ to ‘arms seizure’, every claim was bought and staged by none other than @SuvenduWB.” Adhikari could not be contacted for his comment.

Mamata speaks

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday accused the BJP of scripting the Sandeshkhali incident and questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was silent on the issue of a woman alleging sexual molestation by Governor C V Ananda Bose.

"The entire Sandeshkhali incident was preplanned. The BJP had scripted it well. The truth has been exposed. I have been saying this for a long time,” Banerjee said at an election rally in Chakdah in Nadia district.

“I have not seen the entire video. I will definitely see it,” she added.

“Deep rot” in BJP

Banerjee said the “shocking Sandeshkhali sting shows how deep the rot is within the BJP”.

“In their hatred for Bengal’s progressive thought and culture, the ‘Bangla-Birodhis’ (those against Bengal) orchestrated a conspiracy to defame our state on every possible level,” she said.

Banerjee also said, “Never before in the history of India has a ruling party in Delhi tried to malign an entire state and its people. History will witness how Bengal will rise in rage against Delhi’s conspiratorial regime and ensure their bishorjon.”

Shocked beyond words: Abhishek

“The cat is out of the bag. Sinister plot of Modi-Shah, central agencies and their allies stand exposed,” the TMC said apparently referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.

Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said, “I am shocked beyond words to see the Sandeshkhali sting video. Every citizen must witness the Bangla birodhi @BJP4India’s attempt to defame and malign WB for their petty political ends…This abhorrent act epitomises the grossest abuse of power in history,” the TMC national general secretary posted on X.

He described the alleged move by the BJP as a matter of “shame”.

“Aimed at maligning Bengal”

In the press conference, Abhishek, who is considered number two in the TMC, alleged that for creating grounds for imposition of Article 355 in Bengal, the BJP orchestrated the entire incident in Sandeshkhali.

He asserted that the honour of Bengali women was compromised by such allegations in Sandeshkhali, which he believes are aimed at maligning the state. He demanded that the BJP top leadership apologize for “maligning” Bengal about Sandeshkhali within 48 hours.

The TMC national general secretary also wondered what Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had mentioned Sandeshkhali incidents several times during his election rallies will say now.

BJP’s defence

Responding to these allegations, BJP leader and party spokesman Shankudeb Panda said the TMC was unable to combat the swelling public anger on the Sandeshkhali incident.

“The TMC is insulting women in Sandeshkhali and Bengal. Its leaders are uploading such a doctored video as it found no other way to combat the charges,” he said.

Adhikari said, “It is a fake and doctored video. It seems that the TMC sensed defeat (in the election) and is trying to divert attention. There have been hundreds of complaints by women of Sandeshkhali.”

CBI complaint

Kayl lodged a complaint to the CBI alleging that it was a morphed and edited video.

In his written complaint, Kayl said the video in question was uploaded from an unverified YouTube channel owned by someone named “Williams”.

“It can be seen that the same (footage) has been made using my face and the voice has been moduled using Artificial Intelligence (AI) so that it can mislead the public at large,” the BJP mandal president said.

Kayl also provided the link to the YouTube video.

(With agency inputs)