TV journalist detained; NCW leader in Sandeshkhali says she received two rape reports.

Since protests in the neighborhood earlier this month, organized by women who allege they were sexually harassed over the years by associates of Trinamool Congress strongman Sheikh Shahjahan, the area has been at the center of a political firestorm between the TMC and BJP.

During a visit to Sandeshkhali, West Bengal, the chairperson of the National Commission for Women announced on Monday that she had received 18 complaints from local women, including two allegations of rape. Rekha Sharma, the chairman, also called for Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister, to step down for "failing to stop atrocities on women" and President's Rule in the region. The BJP reacted sharply when a TV journalist who was reporting from the area was detained by the state police.

Since protests in the neighborhood earlier this month, organized by women who allege they were sexually harassed over the years by associates of Trinamool Congress strongman Sheikh Shahjahan, the area has been at the center of a political firestorm between the TMC and BJP.

TMC members Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar have been arrested and suspended from the party following the charges. Since a mob ambushed an Enforcement Directorate team on their way to examine Shajahan's home in relation to a ration scam on January 5, Shajahan has been missing.

"Women in Sandeshkhali have experienced rights violations and harassment. Many of them have experienced molestation. Two of the eighteen complaints that were made concerned rape. The police have recently taken up one such rape complaint. Women confided in me that they were afraid to speak up for fear of social disgrace and police harassment. In order to protect young girls from being the victims of such atrocities, they also sent them away, claimed Sharma.

"I don't think it will improve unless President's Rule is imposed," stated Sharma, who filed the complaints with the Sandeshkhali police station. We were informed that ladies were coerced into withdrawing their complaints by holding children at gunpoint. Given her failure to defend these ladies, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee need to step down. I have never previously witnessed such crimes.

The commission's visit, according to the TMC, was driven by politics. Shashi Panja, a state minister, questioned the NCW chairman on why she hasn't called for the resignation of the prime minister in response to the violence in Manipur that saw two women naked and paraded.

"These people (Sharma) were previously associated with the BJP and are now being appointed to various commissions," stated TMC state vice-president Jay Prakash Majumdar. They are no longer credible.

Santu Pan, a Republic Bangla journalist, was taken into custody in the evening following a complaint made by a local. He has been charged with trespassing and outraging a woman's modesty, according to the police.

A local woman made a complaint at the Sandeshkhali police station after Pan allegedly broke into her home while doing reporting, and the journalist was taken into custody. According to the police, Pan will appear in Basirhat court on Tuesday.

"Today, the West Bengal police arrested reporter Santu Pan for reporting on atrocities being faced by locals," BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar retorted. This is an overt, brutal, and direct assault on democracy's fourth pillar.


Head of the BJP's IT division and joint chief of West Bengal, Amit Malviya, wrote on social media: "Republic Bangla journalist Santu Pan, who has been reporting on the rape and torture in Sandeshkhali, has been detained by West Bengal police in an attack on the media.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Suvendu Adhikari was permitted to visit the region by a single bench of the Calcutta High Court, which granted a temporary stay on the implementation of CrPC section 144 in Sandeshkhali for the following seven days. The Nandigram BJP MLA filed a court complaint when the police, claiming prohibitory orders, prevented him from entering Sandeshkhali last week.

However, Justice Kaushik Chanda ordered the BJP leader to abstain from making any "provocative speeches" while in the area.