Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the Trinamool Congress had unleashed “a reign of terror” on women in West Bengal, The Indian Express reported.
“Ripples of the Sandeshkhali matter will be felt across the state,” Modi also said.
The prime minister was addressing the Nari Shakti Vandan Concluding Karyakram rally at Barasat in North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal. “The women of Bengal will put an end to the Trinamool Congress’ mafia raj,” Modi said.
On Wednesday, Modi said that women in West Bengal had faced atrocities under the Trinamool Congress government in the state. “What happened in Sandeshkhali is no less than a ghor paap [grave sin],” he told those gathered at the rally.
On January 5, Enforcement Directorate officials were allegedly attacked in Sandeshkhali village when they were carrying out raids at the house of Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh in connection with an alleged ration distribution scam.
Sheikh and his associates, Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar, have also been accused by several women in Sandeshkhali of sexual assault and land-grabbing. The women have alleged that Sheikh and his associates used to survey homes in their search for young women, whom they would take to the party office and sexually assault.
Modi said that the Trinamool Congress had no sympathy “for the mothers and sisters” of West Bengal. “Instead, it made all efforts to protect the offenders.”
Sheikh was arrested by the police on February 29 after absconding for more than 50 days. While Sardar was arrested on February 11, Hazra was arrested on February 17.
On Tuesday, the West Bengal government had approached the Supreme Court against the Calcutta High Court order directing that the Sandeshkhali case be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The prime minister said that women in the country were angry to see what happened in Sandeshkhali. “The Trinamool Congress government, which believes in appeasement politics and culture of extortion, cannot provide security to women,” Modi said. “Only the Bharatiya Janata Party is working day and night to ensure their safety.”
Modi also criticised the Opposition INDIA bloc leaders for asking questions about his family.
On Sunday, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav had remarked at a public rally in Patna that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “no family”.
“This Narendra Modi is attacking parivaarvaad [dynastic politics] these days,” Yadav said. “First, [Modi] should tell why he does not have any children or family.”
Responding to Yadav’s remarks at the rally, Modi said that the Opposition had “lost their balance”.
“They are saying that Modi has no family and that is why he is talking about dynastic politics,” Modi remarked. “They want to know where is Modi’s family? These dynastic politicians should come here and see the number of people who have come here. This is Modi’s family.”
Earlier in the day, the prime minister inaugurated the Esplanade-Howrah Maidan section of the Kolkata Metro, The Times of India reported. The 4.8 km line is the country’s first underwater transportation tunnel, passing below the Hooghly river.
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