Prime Minister Narendra Modi met at least five Sandeshkhali women survivors during his visit to West Bengal's Barasat on Wednesday. According to the information, the women survivors put forward their ordeal and the Prime Minister heard them patiently like a "father figure". Notably, the survivors were very emotional with the fact that PM understood their pain.
BJP state general secretary Agnimitra Paul told the media that women spoke about the atrocities that were perpetrated on them. PM Modi addressed the rally at Kachari Maidan in Barasat, the district headquarters town of North 24 Parganas where Sandeshkhali is located.
'Sandeshkhali is a matter of shame'
The Prime Minister said the “storm of Sandeshkhali” will reach every part of West Bengal, asserting that 'Nari Shakti' (woman power) will play a pivotal role in decimating the ruling TMC in the state. He said whatever happened with women in Sandeshkhali “is a matter of shame”.
Sandeshkhali, a village in North 24 Parganas, has been engulfed in turmoil following allegations of sexual assault against local Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his associates by several women. The 40-year-old TMC leader, commonly referred to as 'Bhai' by his followers, was apprehended last week.
Buses taking Sandeshkhali women to PM's rally stopped
Earlier in the day, a few buses in which women from Sandeshkhali were travelling to PM Narendra Modi's rally in Barasat were stopped at multiple places by the police citing "security protocol", BJP leaders alleged.
The state BJP made arrangements for buses to take the women, who were allegedly tortured by suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his aides, from Sandeshkhali to the rally venue, around 80 km away.
Around 30 people got down from two of the buses that were stopped and started shouting slogans against the TMC government. Police, however, said that traffic movement on the stretch had to be restricted due to "security protocol" as the PM was to travel by that road.
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