Days after a Manipur video incident, the BJP on Saturday claimed that two tribal women were stripped naked and tortured in West Bengal’s Malda while the police remained a "mute spectator". However, the ruling TMC has refuted the allegations made by the BJP stating that it was a case of theft, where the two ladies tried to steal something from the market.
Taking to Twitter, BJP leader Amit Malviya, who is also the party's co-incharge for the state, said that the incident took place in the Pakua Hat area of Bamangola Police Station in Malda on July 19. He also posted a video with blurred images of the crime.
'Horror continues in West Bengal'
"The horror continues in West Bengal. Two Tribal women were stripped naked, tortured and beaten mercilessly, while police remained a mute spectator in the Pakua Hat area of Bamangola Police Station, Malda," he said.
With opposition parties targeting the BJP over the incident of two women being paraded naked in ethnic violence-hit Manipur, where it is in power, teh BJP has been drawing attention to similar cases of violence against women in states ruled by Opposition including the Congress and the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC.
'Banerjee chose to do nothing'
He further said, "The horrific incident took place on the morning of 19th July. The women belonged to socially marginalised community and had a frenzied mob baying for her blood… It had all the making of a tragedy that should have ‘broken’ Mamata Banerjee’s heart and she, instead of merely outraging, could have acted, since she is also the Home Minister of Bengal."
Slamming Banerjee, Malviya said she chose to do nothing in the case. "Neither did she condemn the barbarity nor did she express pain and anguish because it would have exposed her own failing as a chief minister," he said.
Reacting to Banerjee's attack on the BJP over the Manipur incident, Malviya said, "But a day after, she shed copious tears and screamed blue murder because it was politically expedient."
TMC refutes allegations
West Bengal minister and TMC leader Shashi Panja said that there is absolutely no need to politicise the Malda incident as that was a case of theft. "There is absolutely no need to politicise the Malda incident. It was a case of theft, where the two ladies tried to steal something from the market. A group of women tried to take law & order into their hands and started beating them. However, the police reached the spot. A case has been registered & police are investigating the matter," she said.
'Atrocities against women are condemnable'
Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat said that Malda's incident should not be compared to that of Manipur. "Atrocities against women in any part of the country are condemnable. West Bengal's incident where 'Adivasi' women can be seen beating other 'Adivasi' women is condemnable. It is just an example of West Bengal govt's lawlessness," she added.
(With agencies input)
