“I can arrest the ‘Gaddar’ too…”, Mamata Banerjee assures redressal and justice to Sandeshkhali but blames BJP for the trouble

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday while assuring redressal to the aggrieved villagers of trouble hit Sandeshkhali, she also blamed the BJP for fomenting tension and trying to orchestrate the trouble in order to create a rift. She has warned of taking action against the “traitors”. Without naming BJP leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who is often referred to as ‘Gaddar’ by the TMC after he switched over to the saffron party in 2020 ahead of state assembly polls, Banerjee claimed she has all the list of crimes committed by the ‘Gaddar’ and that she is only allowing some extra time to him.

“Whenever there is some incident, our government takes action. There has been an incident (in Sandeshkhali) and that was orchestrated. First, they sent the ED team and then their friend BJP had entered there along with the media. They have tried stoking trouble”, she said referring to the Enforcement Directorate’s attempted raids at the residence of TMC leader Seikh Shahjahan in January in connection with the alleged PDS scam, when the officers had come under the attack of Shahjahan’s supporters. Eventually, weeks later, in neighboring Sandeshkhali block 2, protests had erupted against the local TMC leadership where villagers alleged years of oppression, their land being taken away illegally without their consent by Shahjahan and his associates, and most damning, women alleged sexual harassment against them. Mamata Banerjee while addressing a public meeting in Birbhum on Sunday, claimed that no woman has ever given any complaint of sexual harassment while assuring whoever has lost their land to illegal encroachment, will get their land back.

"If there are any allegations, we will take action, and whatever was taken forcibly will be returned. I have asked the police to take suo motu cognizance. Our block president has been arrested. In Bhangar, Arabul Islam has also been arrested. But what action has the BJP taken against their leaders? They call everyone thieves but they are the dacoits. Don’t I have the list of their crimes and can’t I arrest the ‘Gaddar’? I can and I will, simply allowing them the extra rope now” she added while calling BJP anti-Bengali, anti-women, anti-farmer, and anti-Dalit," 

One of the prime accused, Uttam Sardar was arrested by Bengal police on Saturday, hours after police added the section of rape against her following the 164 CrPC statement by one of the complainants before the magistrate where she had alleged sexual harassment. West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar on Sunday while addressing a press conference had assured that every complaint of land grab will be entertained and that police will organise camps within the village to receive the complaints from the victims. Accordingly, the camps were set up in Sandeshkhali on Sunday. Police have also assured, that after reassessing the situation they will start withdrawing the prohibitory orders under section 144 from the affected areas.​