Kolkata: West Bengal Police have been under fire for not arresting Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shahjahan Sheikh, the main person considered to be behind the unrest in Sandeshkhali. Opposition parties have claimed that it’s the TMC government which has helped Shahjahan find a safe shelter for over 50 days.
On Sunday, TMC’s influential leader Abhishek Banerjee defended his party by attacking the judiciary.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew claimed on Sunday that the judiciary – and not TMC — was responsible for action not being taken against Shahjahan.
“The Calcutta High Court has tied up the hands of the police by issuing a stay order on the probe against Shahjahan based on Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) petition. Had it not been there and had the court given the police a stipulated time, the state’s law enforcers could have shown what they can do,” said Abhishek.
Refuting BJP and other parties’ accusation that TMC was giving Shahjahan protection, Abhishek said, “I would like to ask them to go to the high court and place their demand of Shahjahan’s arrest. We did not petition seeking the stay order on the probe. It was the Central government’s agency that sought the stay order. The Judiciary is protecting Shahjahan, not our party,” Abhishek spelt out.
Sandeshkhali has been making national headlines since ED officers were assaulted in the North 24 Parganas village when they went to raid Shahjahan’s house in connection with an investigation. Shajahan’s followers are believed to have orchestrated that attack.
As Shahjahan and his close aides have been on the run since the first week of January, dozens of women of Sandeshkhali village complained about sexual abuse and land grabbing against them.
Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar were arrested on charges of gang rape recently after the party suspended them.
Abhishek said the party won’t stand by Shahjahan.
“The state government took action against former ministers Partha Chatterjee and Jyotipriya Mullick by removing them from the cabinet after they were arrested by central agencies on corruption charges, then who is Shahjahan? Many political leaders sitting in Delhi as well as from this state are instigating people of Sandeshkhali and playing cards of divisive politics,” said the TMC MP from Diamond Harbour.
He went a step further to say that state BJP leaders have been asked to keep the Sandeshkhali issue alive till the Prime Minister’s visit next month.
