After a recent visit to Sandeshkhali in West Bengal on Thursday, the National Commission For Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has submitted a report to President Droupadi Murmu today. The report recommends imposing President’s Rule in the state. This move comes following allegations of “non-cooperation” by the Mamata Banerjee-led state government.
Arun Halder, the Chairman (Incharge) of NCSC, accused the state government of failing to cooperate during their visit. Halder highlighted that despite sending an official letter, no vehicle was sent to receive them. Sandeshkhali, located in the North 24 Parganas district, has been witnessing protests by several women over alleged atrocities and sexual assault by TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his aides.
Halder expressed concerns over the atmosphere of fear prevailing in Sandeshkhali, which hindered the women from speaking freely about their experiences. He mentioned that although the women wanted to share their grievances, they felt intimidated. However, Halder claimed to understand their concerns based on his 34 years of experience.
During their interactions, Halder stated that women informed him about instances where they were picked up and kept seated throughout the night by TMC’s zilla parishad member Uttam Sardar and his associates. However, the specifics of these incidents were not clearly articulated by the women.
The NCSC Chairman alleged that the police did not cooperate in facilitating meetings with the victim families. Halder mentioned that they had to rely on their own sources to reach the homes of the victims and engage with them. Despite suggesting the use of special constitutional mandates to protect Scheduled Castes, Halder claimed that the police were unresponsive to their recommendations.
Halder criticized the behavior of senior police officers during their visit to Sandeshkhali Police Station, particularly ADG Siddhinath Gupta, who reportedly left the premises without engaging with the NCSC officials. He described the officers’ conduct as insulting and accused them of behaving like party cadres.
In his remarks, Halder emphasized that criminals in the state had aligned themselves with the government, adversely affecting the lives of Scheduled Caste communities. The NCSC’s recommendation for President’s Rule underscores the gravity of the situation and the perceived failure of the state government to address the concerns of marginalized communities effectively.
Comments