Bengal BJP leader quits; says Sandeshkhali incident was ‘scripted’
Syria Parveen, a West Bengal BJP leader and one of the women who exposed the Sandeshkhali incident, resigned from the party on Thursday and joined the Trinamool Congress, accusing the saffron party of “scripting the entire incident”.
In a press conference, the former BJP leader also accused the saffron party of providing funds to its Basirhat Lok Sabha candidate Rekha Patra. Parveen’s serious claims surfaced just days before voting in Basirhat.
“In Sandeshkhali and Basirhat, I attempted to associate with women who had reported molestation and harassment. I fought for the truth. Later, I realized that this was only a tale, a script. This involved the use of mobile devices, media, and money. And they (BJP leaders) issued directives through this,'” Parveen said while speaking to the media.
Also read: Pune Porsche crash: Accused, father claim family driver was behind the wheels during accident
“The BJP opposes the TMC. When I learned that TMC individuals and leaders are fair and did not make any mistakes, I determined that I would not continue with the bogus things,” she said.
Parveen also claimed to have “many pieces of evidence” to show that BJP leaders “scripted” the Sandeshkali event.
In her press conference on Thursday, Parveen further accused BJP leaders of utilizing “sim cards and phones” to convey instructions to manipulate Sandeshkhali women.
Also read: Hassan Sex Scandal: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah urges PM Modi to cancel Prajwal’s diplomatic passport
The Sandeshkhali Incident
The remote, impoverished area of Sandeshkhali in West Bengal, near the Bangladesh border has been on fire since the second week of February. Hundreds of women protested in Sandeshkhali, demanding action against local leaders of the state’s ruling party, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC). They allege pervasive economic exploitation and sexual harassment.
Over the next few weeks, several TMC leaders’ residences came under attack, and several portions of Sandeshkhali saw the repeated implementation of Section 144 of the CrPC, which forbids gatherings of more than four people in one spot.
Several women staged enormous rallies against former Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh and his aides, accusing them of land grabbing and sexual harassment. He was later arrested by state police in connection with a separate crime.
The Basirhat Lok Sabha seat is being contested by TMC’s Haji Nurul Islam and the BJP’s Rekha Patra.
