West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose on Wednesday stated the ladies of Sandeshkhali in West Bengal are scared, and their freedom and dignity has been damage in a “shocking and shattering” method. He had gone all the way down to the village in North 24 Parganas district to take inventory of the scenario, the place native residents have been protesting for the previous week over allegations of atrocities on girls and land grabbing by goons owing allegiance to the ruling get together in the state.
The identify of TMC chief Shajahan Sheikh has repeatedly come up in reference to the allegations. Sandeshkhali grabbed headlines when ED officers have been attacked by a mob once they went to look Sheikh’s premises on January 5.
In an unique interview, Bose instructed CNN-News18 that there’s a sort of concern psychosis in the world and an absence of legislation and order. Protection from the rule of legislation or from legislation enforcers so far as the native residents are involved can be lacking, he stated. The governor has cancelled his official go to to Delhi and will probably be returning to Sandeshkhali. Excerpts:
You went all the way down to Sandeshkhali. What is your evaluation of the scenario on the bottom?
What I noticed there was stunning and shattering. Women’s freedom and dignity have been all given the go by. I noticed what the individuals name ‘goondaraj’ in that locality. There is a sort of concern psychosis there and I couldn’t discover any legislation enforcement company lively in the mean time I used to be there. Now, from right here I’m in contact with the victims. I discover that there’s nonetheless a scare and one thing needs to be achieved successfully. I’ve cancelled my official go to in Delhi and am going again to Sandeshkhali to see what finest might be achieved.
Were you in a position to converse with any of the victims? They have made some startling allegations. Did you hear from them? What did they are saying to you?
I met a whole bunch of ladies there. They are all on the streets and I interacted with them. I may perceive their sentiments, their emotions. They additionally gave to me, in writing, the names of the offenders. All they needed was a reassurance that there will probably be peace, peace with honour. But, their honour is in items.
Have they been subjugated to atrocities which are a gross violation of fundamental human rights?
As I may collect from them, I believe the worst that may occur has occurred there. Women’s dignity has been thrown to the winds. They’re all scared. It is just not a criminal offense in a selected place, it’s a criminal offense towards womanhood, towards humanity…
There is an allegation that there was a deliberate try to polarise or politicise the scenario. Would you see any advantage in that allegation made by the Trinamool Congress?
Politics is just not my cup of tea. I chorus from commenting on that.
But is there an actual downside on the bottom? If I’ll ask you, what have you ever witnessed or is it simply any person’s figment of creativeness?
It’s not a figment of creativeness. It’s actuality that I noticed there. To deny that atrocities have occurred, is mistaken. There is an anarchy-like scenario there and individuals can really feel it; they’re dejected, depressed. They have been oppressed by the gangsters, that’s a truth. We can’t deny it.
Did these girls you met say their complaints have been written down? Have their complaints been lodged? Have they been heard?
They made oral complaints to me first. Then they gave me written complaints. At least 100 girls have given written complaints to me and I’m issuing it as my report card to the individuals. If you wish to know what they instructed me, I can elaborate on it now.
Could you please elaborate?
See, one factor which all of them stated is that they have been intimidated by the goons. They additionally gave me names. First, they instructed me in regards to the intimidation and threats to villagers by Shajahan Sheikh, Sushanta Sardar, Shivprasad Hazra, Neelkantha Hazra, Sanju Singh, Ranju Singh, son of Amal Singh, Shantanu Basu and others. They instructed me in regards to the torture and sexual harassment of ladies when the lads have been away. They additionally stated the police are working hand-in-glove with rowdy components. Then, grabbing land forcibly…letting sewage into the land of those that don’t comply with half with their land, coercing village residents to withdraw police complaints. The police, as an alternative of submitting complaints towards miscreants, direct native residents to compromise. They additionally instructed me about goons posing as policemen, and trespassing into individuals’s properties at night time. There are different complaints as nicely, however these are the primary one given to me in writing.
You have gotten the complaints in writing and considered one of them is sexual harassment and a number of the girls being pressured upon or being focused, particularly when their husbands or wards are usually not round. Did many ladies say this to you? As many are saying that the 10-member crew underneath a girl DIG has not obtained any official grievance to this point, alleging rape or sexual harassment.
I’m not an investigating officer. I don’t wish to be a part of difficulty with the junior investigating officers who went there. I’ve said what they instructed me. This is an announcement of information.
Was there clear proof of land seize or this sort of atrocities being dedicated whenever you interacted with these victims? And did all of them echo these factors that you’ve compiled in your report?
I can not vouch for that. These complaints are common in nature. I’ve known as out the primary complaints that have been lodged. It doesn’t imply that each grievance was made by everybody who lodged complaints with me. These are the most important complaints that I obtained from the individuals.
Did you get a way that there have been maybe a sure group of illegals, people who find themselves not essentially Indian residents who might be current in that space, in that area? Is {that a} trigger for concern?
I’ve no foundation to say that.
The girls there are alleging that they’re being stopped from protesting as a result of Section 144 is in place. Would you need the ladies to be heard?
In all equity, I’d say once I went there, there was no restriction. Women in a whole bunch got here and met me. I didn’t discover anyone placing restrictions on them, however there have been restrictions on most of the people notably for the press. This is my private expertise. Around 10 automobiles belonging to the media have been trailing my motorcade however have been stopped at one place. When I bought to know of this, I reversed my automobile and instructed the police that I’m the governor and I resolve who must be in my motorcade. These media individuals are a part of my motorcade. Then they have been allowed to return with me and weren’t stopped.
