West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Monday (February 12) visiting Sandeshkhali in the North 24 Parganas district where local women staged protests against alleged harassment and torture by TMC leaders, and said that what he came across in the restive place was “ghastly and shocking” and assured to take action “whatever is within my powers”. The Governor reached the village from Kolkata where he arrived from Kerala early this morning. He has sought a comprehensive report on the Sandeshkhali situation from the Mamata Banerjee government.
"When I heard about the shocking and shattering incidents of Sandeshkhali, I cut short my visit to Kerala. I am going to Sandeskhali and want to see it myself what the real sandesh (message) from the gullies (lanes) of Sandeshkhali," Bose said earlier after arriving from Kerala.
Bose has also held discussions with top officials of the central armed police force and the chief vigilance commissioner of the Centre, an official said.
BJP expresses apprehension
Senior BJP leader Dilip Ghosh earlier expressed his apprehension on whether the Governor would be "allowed" to visit the troubled areas of Sandeshkhali to review the situation there.
He also said the governor might be shown black flags on his way to Sandeshkhali and his party colleagues, who are scheduled to go there during the day, would face blockades.
"He (Governor) is a sensitive man and knows that people are being tortured there. I fear he may be shown black flags. His predecessor Jagdeep Dhankhar faced several such incidents," Ghosh told reporters this morning.
What’s the matter?
Several women in Sandeshkhali have been holding protests in the last few days alleging that the local TMC leader Sheikh Shajahan and his “gang” captured swathes of land by force, besides sexually harassing them.
They also demanded his arrest after Shajahan has been absconding since last month following the ED raid at his house in an alleged ration scam and was attacked by a mob.
What did the police say on Sandeshkhali?
The police said that the situation in Sandeshkhali remained "peaceful" and nobody would be allowed to disrupt the law and order there.
“The governor is going to Sadeshkhali. We have taken all sorts of precautionary measures. The entire area is peaceful. Now, no untoward incident has been reported there. We will not allow anybody to disrupt the law and order situation there and will take strict action against those who violate the law," a senior police officer said.
(With PTI inputs)
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