Days after a purported video surfaced featuring a BJP leader alleging that women in Sandeshkhali filed sexual harassment complaints at the behest of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, the Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress took swift action. On Thursday, they filed a complaint with the Election Commission, urging the poll body to direct the police to initiate criminal proceedings against the concerned BJP leaders.
TMC leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose submitted a letter to EC highlighting the alleged confession of a BJP leader on camera, claiming that the rape accusations in the Sandeshkhali incident were concocted. She urged the EC to issue immediate directions to initiate criminal proceedings against the BJP leaders, accusing them of engaging in a deep-rooted conspiracy.
Additionally, the letter urged the EC to restrain the BJP and its leaders from commenting on the Sandeshkhali incident, citing evidence suggesting the spread of orchestrated and unverified allegations against the TMC and its leaders.
This development follows the TMC's accusation labeling Adhikari as the mastermind behind the Sandeshkhali conspiracy. A purported 'sting video' featuring a BJP leader, Gangadhar Kayal, further fueled the controversy, alleging Adhikari's involvement in orchestrating false rape complaints. In a video shared by the TMC handle, Kayal -- the BJP's mandal president in Sandeshkhali -- was heard saying Adhikari, the leader of opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, was behind the whole conspiracy and that a sexual harassment complaint by the women was filed at the behest of him and other BJP leaders.
Moreover, earlier speaking to media in a press conference on the Sandeshkhali incident, a TMC leader had alleged that for Rs. 2000, 'mothers and sisters' of Sandeshkhali were tricked by the local BJP leader, acting on the instruction of Suvendu Adhikari, into filing false rape charges. The TMC leader added, BJP's version of Nari Samman is warped, to say the least."
While the TMC stands firm on its allegations, West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar dismissed the 'sting operation' as fake, suspecting the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Adhikari himself denied the allegations, labeling the video a 'TMC conspiracy'. Meanwhile, the state unit of BJP also released a video featuring the same BJP leader from the TMC clip, where he alleged that his voice had been “tampered with”. Posting the video link, the BJP West Bengal unit said, "Though falsehood may dance around for a while, truth's steady march endures. As the saying goes, 'Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't going away.' Remember that, Koyla Bhaipo."
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