Sandeshkhali Shockers: “Real victims were left behind,” BJP's Rekha Patra Questions Presidential Meet; Women Withdraw Rape Complaints; TMC and BJP Trade Barbs Amidst Explosive Allegations

In the latest development in the Sandeshkhali controversy, a new viral video emerged on Thursday. In the video, Rekha Patra, the BJP candidate from Basirhat and a victim of the violence in Sandeshkhali, alleged that women who were not the genuine victims were chosen to meet with the President, while those she identifies as the "true victims and symbols of resistance" were ignored. Adding to the controversy, Mita Maity, one of the complainants in the case on Wednesday revealed that her mother-in-law was coerced into signing papers without understanding their contents, and she now intends to withdraw what she terms as a "baseless complaint" obtained through deceitful means. These startling revelations come in the wake of a recent viral sting operation video wherein Gangadhar Kayal, the BJP block president, suggested that the rape complaints were fabricated to ensure the arrest of Sheikh Shahjan and his associates, allegedly under the directions of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. As a result, a massive political row has now erupted over the issue, with accusations and counter-accusations flying from both TMC and BJP leaders.

The video from Sandeshkhali that went viral on Thursday, featured a group of women, including Rekha Patra, alleging they were "deceitfully" denied the opportunity to meet with the president. They claimed that those who were not the "real victims" were given the chance to meet her instead. "We must know who took our identity and met with the President. We are the real victims, the faces of the revolt from our village, but others were deceitfully taken instead of us," asserted Rekha Patra. Another woman claimed, "We got to know from the media that a group of Sandeshkhali women who had been victims were taken to meet with President Madam, then who are we?...We were informed that Anup Das took those women. Now Anup Das used to receive monthly kickbacks amounting to Rs 10 thousand from Sibu Hazra. We got to know that Padma Mondal accompanied him, so should we say that they are in cahoots with TMC under the facade of being BJP cadres." Another woman asked, "We are the real victims of the Sandeshkali fiasco, we had led the movement in our village, and we had also gone and met with Prime Minister Sir. If we are the victims, then who are those women who were taken to meet with President Madam?"

On Wednesday, Mita Maity, one of the complainants who accused the now-suspended TMC leader of rape, revealed that her mother-in-law was coerced into signing papers she didn't understand. "Piyali Das called my mother-in-law and took her to the police, stating that we all needed to sign some papers in front of the Women’s Commission. After they went in, the doors were locked, and then she was asked what her problem was," Maity recounted. "Although our complaint was about not getting our dues cleared, later I got to know that she had filed cases on behalf of 4-5 of us, stating that they used to come and take us from our houses late in the night, rape us, abuse us," she added, alleging manipulation by Das. Maity expressed her frustration: "None of this ever happened; it is a blatant lie; we did not even know what we had signed on those papers for." She affirmed her decision to withdraw the case, stating, "There is no point pursuing what is a lie. We cannot afford to pursue a case that is baseless. We have been cornered in our own neighborhood for no fault of our own."

TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose strongly condemned this and hit out at BJP, saying,“It is disgusting that the BJP is threatening the women of Sandeshkhali who have told the truth about the manner in which they were forced to file fraudulent rape complaints. After the viral video showing the conspiracy of Sandeshkali came out, some women have now said that they had been pressurized to file false cases.”

These accusations have surfaced in the wake of a viral sting video implicating local BJP leaders in orchestrating events in Sandeshkhali earlier this year. In the video, Gangadhar Kayal, BJP's Sandeshkhali 2 mandal president, alleges the involvement of LoP Suvendu Adhikari in concocting false rape accusations to incite public outrage. Kayal's remarks suggest a coordinated effort to fabricate charges and mobilize sentiment against Trinamool Congress leaders, with Subhendu Adhikari allegedly facilitating the scheme with financial support. He also discusses the procurement of weapons, indicating a calculated strategy to escalate tensions in Sandeshkhali.

The video further alleges that BJP candidate Rekha Patra was paid Rs. 2000 for leveling rape charges, a claim she dismisses as a fabrication by Trinamool Congress. "Gangadhar Kayal was forced by Trinamool Congress to say such things, this is a conspiracy hatched by TMC," she stated. Kayal initially admitted to his involvement but later dismissed being in the video, alleging manipulation by Trinamool Congress and IPAC. He wrote to the CBI, urging action against TMC and IPAC, alleging they used "high-end technology to fabricate a video and tarnish his image."

A fierce political debate has ignited over the Sandeshkhali issue, with both the ruling Trinamool Congress and BJP trading accusations. Trinamool Congress on Thursday has filed a complaint with the Election Commission against BJP leader Suvenbdu Adhikari and others, following revelations on camera that the rape accusations were concocted. Earlier, TMC staged a protest march in Sandeshkhali's Trimohini area, alleging BJP's involvement in orchestrating the incident after a sting operation exposed their role.

"BJP conspired and dishonored the mothers and the sisters of Sandeshkhali. They do not know that a woman’s dignity, respect, and honor hold greater value than money. I ask them to stop conspiring, as one day, like this one has; all their conspiracies will come to light,” said Trinamool Congress Supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, strongly criticizing the BJP over the Sandeshkhali issue. Other Trinamool Congress leaders such as Sashi Panja, Sagarika Ghose, Sushmita Dev, among others, have also condemned the purported video and criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party in similar vein.

The BJP leader in question, Suvendu Adhikari, has vehemently denied all charges, asserting that the sting operation was fabricated by TMC with the aid of advanced technology and AI. In a post on his "X" account, Adhikari said, ““The I(diot)-PAC & Bhaipo Syndicate are well known for their deceptive maneuvering, treachery and forgery. They use the terminology - "ZEHAR Campaign". The name is very apt. The creators as well as their creations are equally poisonous. This so-called Sandeshkhali Sting is a malicious product of their unethical sweatshop. However, they must remember that an elephant can't be covered by a hankerchief.” West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar echoed Adhikari's sentiments, dismissing the "sting operation" as fake and suspecting its creation using artificial intelligence.

In January, Enforcement Directorate officials en route to raid the residence of now-suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan were attacked by his supporters. Subsequently, villagers, predominantly women wielding sticks and sickles, took to the streets, alleging sexual abuse against Shahjahan Sheikh, along with his associates Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar. Rape allegations against Sheikh Shahjahan surfaced, leading to his arrest by the Bengal Police and subsequent handover to the CBI after evading capture for a period. The Sandeshkhali issue had then sparked a massive political row, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders leveraging it in their campaign rhetoric, aiming barbs at the Trinamool Congress in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.