New Delhi: BJP came down heavily on West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee over the alleged stripping of two of its women candidates in the recent panchayat polls. Addressing a press conference, BJP MP Locket Chatterjee claimed that on the day of panchayat polls, July 8, a woman gram sabha candidate was beaten, stripped naked and paraded in Howrah’s Panchla, adding that the state police refused to file an FIR until it was forced to do so by BJP’s protests.
Chatterjee, a BJP member of Lok Sabha from West Bengal, said the police were yet to register an FIR on another incident of stripping of a woman who was “groped and assaulted by TMC goons”, inside a counting centre in Howrah’s Domjur.
The MP, who was accompanied by West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar, broke down while narrating the two incidents which, according to her, were part of a series of atrocities on women committed by Trinamool Congress members.
“We have knocked almost all doors but to no avail. Mamata Banerjee says these are small incidents and cases have been registered,” Chaterjee said, alleging that TMC “goons” with police patronage were on a rampage but the state had not acted against them. The press conference coincided with Mamata's attack on the BJP government at the Centre over the stripping and rape of two women in Manipur.
“The Manipur incident is highly unfortunate, we condemn it. But what has happened in West Bengal is equally shameful. The elections held in West Bengal have not been panchayat elections but ‘khoon ka chunaav’,” Chatterjee said. “In a single day, two women were paraded naked at Alipore Gate and Birbhum in Bengal. But the way the honour of women is being played with in West Bengal is very worrying,” she added.
State BJP chief Majumdar said, “This violence has been associated with the politics of West Bengal for many years, violence used to happen even during Left rule. ”
No evidence: Bengal DGP
Bengal DGP Manoj Malaviya said there was “no evidence” to suggest a BJP candidate from Howrah’s Panchla was “abused” during the July 8 panchayat polls.” Malaviya said police had registered an FIR based on the alleged victim’s email, but she had not yet recorded her statement before a judicial magistrate despite repeated pleas. The DGP also pointed out that central forces, mobile election teams, or state police squads had not reported the alleged assault.
“We received an email on July 13 stating that a woman was molested and forced out of a booth on July 8. SP (Howrah Rural) Swati Bhangalia immediately ordered an inquiry and an FIR was registered the next day, July 14. The investigation is still on,” said Malaviya.