Sheikh Shahjahan is a key accused in sexual assault and land grab in Sandeshkhali. He was arrested in March after being on the run for 55 days.Amid the Sandeshkhali row where women have made allegations of sexual abuse against Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, the party on Saturday released a video claiming a “conspiracy” by the BJP to defame West Bengal ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
In the alleged video going viral on social media, a man, who claimed to be a BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali, was heard saying that “Suvendu Adhikari is behind the whole conspiracy”. Adhikari is the leader of the opposition in the West Bengal assembly and represents the high-profile Nandigram seat.
The man alleged that Adhikari had asked him and other BJP leaders to “instigate three-four local women to level allegations of rape against three TMC leaders, including Shahjahan Sheikh”. Sheikh is a key accused in sexual assault and land grab in Sandeshkhali. He was arrested in March after being on the run for 55 days.
The man in the video also alleged that “Adhikari himself had planted guns at a house in Sandeshkhali, which was later shown as the seizure by central agencies”.
In a post titled ‘Big expose on Sandeshkhali’ on X, the ruling TMC said, Adhikari created a “false narrative of mass rapes by paying money to local people to defame Bengal and Sandeshkhali”.
The party also alleged that the “viral video exposed how the BJP left no stone unturned to malign Bengal. From ‘mass rape’ to ‘arms seizure’, every claim was bought and staged by none other than @SuvenduWB.”
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the “shocking Sandeshkhali sting shows how deep the rot is within the BJP”.
“In their hatred for Bengal’s progressive thought & culture, the ‘BanglaBirodhis’ orchestrated a conspiracy to defame our state on every possible level,” she said.
The Trinamool chief also said, “Never before in the history of India has a ruling party in Delhi tried to malign an entire state and its people. History will witness how Bengal will rise in rage against Delhi’s conspiratorial regime & ensure their Bishorjon.”
“The cat is out of the bag. Sinister plot of Modi-Shah, central agencies and their allies stand exposed,” the TMC said.
Rajya Sabha MP and TMC leader Saket Gokhale wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “And finally exposed! BJP hatched an entire conspiracy in Sandeshkhali to set a narrative that maligned West Bengal. The whole truth is now out! Will the media, which gave BJP’s allegations non-stop coverage, have the guts to now cover this & question the BJP?”
TMC No. 2 Abhishek Banerjee called it the “grossest abuse of power”. “I am shocked beyond words to see the Sandeshkhali sting video. Every citizen must witness the Bangla birodhi @BJP4India’s orchestrated attempt to defame and malign WB for their petty political ends. This abhorrent act epitomizes the grossest abuse of power in history. Shame!” Banerjee wrote on X.
During poll rallies at Bengal’s Bardhaman-Durgapur and Krishnanagar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday criticised the Trinamool Congress government for its “apathy” towards the victims in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas, where allegations of sexual abuse against leaders of the ruling party have surfaced.
In response to these allegations, BJP leader and party spokesman Shankudeb Panda said, “The TMC is insulting women in Sandeshkhali and Bengal. Its leaders are uploading such a doctored video as it found no other way to combat the charges.”