Mamata reimposed Section 144 in Sandeshkhali out of fear, says BJP’s Sukanta Majumdar

West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Sukanta Majumdar on Wednesday targeted Chief Mamata Banerjee and the state police saying they are scared that is why they are trying to hide the Sandeshkhali incident.

“CM Mamata Banerjee and the police are scared and trying to ensure that the Sandeshkhali incident does not come to the fore. This is the reason for the repeated imposition of section 144. Section 144 is being reimposed in a way that no Opposition leader or social organisation can go there.”

Majumdar questioned the police how a state minister entered the prohibited area despite Section 144 effective in Sandeshkhali.

The state government reimposed section 144 in some pockets of Sandeshkhali after the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday set aside the promulgation of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC in Sandeshkhali.

“Questions will be asked from Mamata – why do you hate Hindus, tribals and backward people? Your goons are exploiting people and you are silent,” said BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia during a press conference in Delhi.

Meanwhile,  Barasat Range DIG, Sumit Kumar said the situation is under control now and Section 144 is imposed in around 19 places yesterday.

“The public is cooperating with us and we hope everything will be normal. The state government wants to establish peace in the area, extra force has also been deployed here,” he added.

Section 144 in Sandeshkhali despite court’s ruling

Earlier on Tuesday, the Calcutta High Court ordered the removal of the prohibitory sections placed in Sandeshkhali, which has been witnessing protests over the last one week over alleged atrocities on villagers by some people owing allegiance to the ruling Trinamool Congress.

The court observed that instead of exhausting all their efforts to quell protests by, at best, lathi-wielding village women, the police authorities need to fix their priorities better and look for the two alleged prime perpetrators of crimes.

“Only if they are hauled up, can the tortured women of the village muster enough courage to lodge all their complaints,” the court said in its order while setting aside the promulgation of Section 144 of CrPC prohibiting assembly of five or more persons in Sandeshkhali police station area in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.

Justice Jay Sengupta directed that if such complaints are made by them, the authorities will also inquire about alleged wrongdoings by police personnel as well, “whether for abetment of such crimes or for destruction of evidence.”

He directed the police authorities to keep a sharp vigil and deploy more armed personnel in the area for keeping peace and use modern technology like drone cameras to conduct surveillance.

A petition was filed by two residents of Sandeshkhali seeking a direction from the court for lifting the prohibitory orders promulgated in the area since February 9.

The petitioner’s counsel Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya claimed that the foundation of promulgation of the prohibitory orders in Sandeshkhali was not there and that it was done to curtail the rights of people to protest.

He claimed that of the three persons accused of perpetrating atrocities on the villagers, only Uttam Sardar was arrested, while Shajahan Sheikh and Shiba Prasad Hazra, all owing allegiance to the ruling dispensation in the state, were yet to be traced.

Sandeshkhali, which grabbed headlines when some Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials were attacked by a mob when they went to search the premises of Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh on January 5, has been witnessing protests for the last one week over allegations of atrocities on women and land grabbing by goons owing allegiance to the ruling party.

(With agencies inputs)

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