KOLKATA: Even as the recent Manipur video enraged the nation, another incident of two tribal women being stripped naked, tortured and beaten up came to light in West Bengal that triggered a war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Trinamool Congress
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that two tribal women were stripped naked and tortured a few days ago in West Bengal’s Malda while police remained a “mute spectator”.
As the women who fell victim to the horrifying incident are still untraceable,Women and Child Development Minister of West Bengal Shashi Panja in its response said that the BJP was needlessly politicising the issue.
But the irony is that Shashi Panja puts up an argument that the women were caught stealing, which prompted outraged by the locals.
BJP’s IT department head Amit Malviya today took to Twitter to post a purported video, that has surfaced on social media, of the incident, which he claimed took place on July 19 in Pakua Hat, a weekly market, of Bamangola Police Station in Malda.
“The horror continues in West Bengal. Two Tribal women were stripped naked, tortured and beaten mercilessly, while police remained a mute spectator in Pakua Hat area of Bamangola Police Station, Malda,” Malviya tweeted.
“The horrific incident took place on the morning of 19th July. The women belonged to socially marginalised community and had a frenzied mob baying for her blood…,” Malviya who is the party’s BJP in-charge of West Bengal said.
Attacking the state’s chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Malviya posted, “It had all the making of a tragedy that should have ‘broken’ Mamata Banerjee’s heart and she, instead of merely outraging, could have acted, since she is also the Home Minister of Bengal…” Malviya said.
Malviya alleged that the West Bengal chief minister “chose to do nothing.”
“Neither did she condemn the barbarity nor did she express pain and anguish because it would have exposed her own failing as a Chief Minister. But a day after, she shed copious tears and screamed blue murder, because it was politically expedient…” the BJP leader tweeted.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson, Rekha Sharma said that she is in touch with team from West Bengal’s Malda and are still searching for the victims.
“I am in touch with a team from West Bengal’s Malda and according to them, nobody knows where the two women are. The medical examination has not been done, there are no arrest warrants issued, and no FIRs have been done,” Chairperson NCW Rekha Sharma said.
‘The family members of the women are worried…We are taking suo moto…My team will also go there,” she added.
Meanwhile, the ruling Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress in its response said that the BJP was needlessly politicising the issue and the women were caught stealing, which prompted outraged by the locals.
Shashi Panja said, “There is absolutely no need to politicise the Malda incident. It was a case of theft, where the two ladies tried to steal something from the market. A group of women tried to take law and order into their hands and started beating them. However, the police reached the spot. A case has been registered and police are investigating the matter.”
“It has nothing to do with politics though we have taken suo motu of the incident,” Panja said.
Moreover, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has also targeted the West Bengal government’s “lawlessness” over the Malda incident.
On the war of words over the two videos, Brinda Karat told reporters on Saturday, “Malda’s incident should not be compared to that of Manipur. Atrocities against women in any part of the country are condemnable. The incident in West Bengal, which is about some Adivasi women being beaten up by other Adivasi women, is regrettable and condemnable. It only goes to show the lawlessness and the prevailing state of affairs in the state.”
“However, the attempts by the BJP’s IT cell to compare the Malda incident to that of Manipur, thereby trying to gloss over the failure of the BJP government in the Northeast state, is equally condemnable,” the CPI(M) leader added.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the incident where two women were paraded nude in Manipur was condemnable but what happened in West Bengal was “even more unfortunate.”
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken the responsibility and assured that injustice against women will not be tolerated and strict action will be taken against the perpetrators,” Dharmendra Pradhan said in Bhubaneswar.
“Whatever happened in Manpiur is unfortunate but what happened in West Bengal is even more unfortunate. It is worrisome and shameful,” the Union Minister said.
Moreover, West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Sukanta Majumdar accused Mamata Banerjee for the deteriorating law and order situation and said that the atrocities on women are at their peak in the state.
“Atrocities on women is at its peak in West Bengal… Many more incidents have happened in West Bengal. After the 2021 elections, the incidents were not reported…CM Mamata Banerjee does not have the moral right to point fingers,” Sukanta Majumdar said.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Smriti Irani also reacted over the matter and said that equally shocking is a video that is emanating from West Bengal’s Malda where two Dalit women are being beaten and stripped.
“This (Manipur viral video) issue is not only sensitive but has implications with regard to national security and is known to the opposition leaders. However, the opposition did not want to discuss the issue on the floor of the Parliament. What is extremely alarming is that yesterday, from the state of Rajasthan, a minister spoke up on crime against women in the state, he was unceremoniously dismissed by the Congress. Equally shocking is a video that is emanating from West Bengal’s Malda where two Dalit women are being beaten and stripped,” she said.
“Congress did not want to hear the truth about atrocities against women in the state of Rajasthan…Congress is a mute spectator to the killings of people during the West Bengal Panchayat elections all because it is hungry for collaboration with TMC,” she said.
Furthermore, BJP leader Rahul Sinha said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee failed to provide security to women in the state.
Henceforth, the Manipur incident triggered outrage, with leaders across political lines condemning the heinous act. Opposition parties also cornered the ruling BJP government in Parliament over the incident. (ANI)