Sandeshkhali violence: NCSC for President’s rule in Bengal

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 16

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) on Friday submitted a report on Sandeshkhali violence in West Bengal to President Droupadi Murmu and recommended President’s rule in the state citing complete lawlessness.

NCSC chairperson Arun Halder, after meeting the President, said, “We have recommended that President’s rule be imposed in West Bengal over the situation there under Article 338 that aims to safeguard the rights of Scheduled Castes,” Halder said.

TMC leader ‘sexually harassed’ women

• TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh has been absconding since January 5 when a mob attacked Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers during a raid at his residence in connection with an alleged ration scam
• After the ED incident, protests were held in Sandeshkhali over past few days with a significant number of women taking to the streets, demanding the arrest of Sheikh and his followers
• The accusations against Sheikh and aides include capturing land and sexually harassing women

Under Article 338 of the Constitution, the Commission is duty bound to present reports to the President annually and at other times as the Commission may deem fit with respect to the working of constitutional safeguards for the Scheduled Castes.

Halder said the President had assured the NCSC team that she would look into the matter and take adequate action. The majority of the residents of Sandeshkhali are SCs. West Bengal has the second highest population of SCs in the country.

Halder added that several police officials misbehaved with the team when it tried to enter Sandeshkhai to meet with alleged victims of land grab and sexual assault at the hands of local TMC strongman Shajahan Sheikh.

“Criminals in the state have joined hands with the government there,” Halder said.

Meanwhile, Sandeshkhali remained tense on Friday with the local police preventing BJP and Congress delegations from visiting the area.

A six-member BJP delegation led by Annapurna Devi and including Minister of State for Social Justice Pratima Bhowmik and other leaders MP Sunita Duggal, Kavita Patidar, Sangeeta Yadav and Brij Lal was stopped on their way to Sandeshkhali today citing prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC. After they were halted at Rampur village, the BJP delegation returned to Kolkata and met Governor CV Ananda Bose.

A Congress delegation led by state unit president Adhir Ranan Chowdhury was also stopped from going to Sandeshkhali.

SC to consider listing PIL seeking court-monitored probe

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider urgent listing of a PIL seeking a court-monitored CBI/SIT probe into alleged sexual violence against women at Sandeshkhali. As petitioner lawyer Alakh Alok Srivastava mentioned his PIL before a Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud for urgent listing, the CJI asked: “Have you sent an email (seeking urgent listing)?” “I will deal with this in the afternoon,” the CJI told Srivastava after the latter answered in the affirmative

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