Suvendu Adhikari has reached Sandeshkhali amid violence in the village, in his third attempt. The Calcutta HC however, has given him certain directions.
New Delhi: Sandeshkhali village in West Bengal has been in the news after massive protests by the women of the area and the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) against the TMC government after Shahjahan Sheikh was accused of sexually harassing and assaulting the women. Section 144 had been imposed in the village area and several politicians and leaders including the Chairperson of the National Commission of Women (NCW) have visited the village to meet the victims and support them. After rejected requests, senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has reached the Sandeshkhali village in his third attempt, after being granted permission for the same by the Calcutta High Court.
Suvendu Adhikari Visits Sandeshkhali In Third Attempt
As mentioned earlier, the senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has visited Sandeshkhali village in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district after being granted permission by a division bench of the Calcutta High Court to visit the restive area. Earlier in the day, police had stopped the leader of the opposition in the assembly from visiting Sandeshkhali, citing that the imposition of prohibitory orders and the state government moving the division bench against a single bench order on Monday allowing Adhikari to visit the trouble-torn area. Suvendu Adhikari has visited the village-in-conflict with BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh.
#WATCH | West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari and BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh arrive in Sandeshkhali to meet the locals. pic.twitter.com/hfEHB4lUbm
— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2024
Suvendu Adhikari Statement On Visiting Sandeshkhali
“The police have now allowed me and fellow BJP MLA Sankar Ghosh to visit Sandeshkhali, following the order by a division bench of the Calcutta High Court,” Adhikari said as he was escorted by the law enforcers to Dhamakhali ferry ghat, from where he crossed Kalindi River by boat to reach Sandeshkhali. At Sandeshkhali, he was seen being greeted by locals, including women.
Calcutta HC Grants Permission With These Directions
As said earlier, Suvendu Adhikari was granted the permission to visit Sandeshkhali by the Calcutta High Court. A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday morning allowed Adhikari to visit Sandeshkhali. The division bench presided by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam refused to interfere into a single bench order that allowed Adhikari and another BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh to visit Sandeshkhali on Tuesday. The Chief Justice was quoted as saying by LiveLaw, “We have seen the grievances, the women of the area have flagged issues, there has been some land grabbing. This person (Sheikh Shahjahan) cannot be on the run. The state cannot support it. In the suo motu matter, we will ask him to surrender here. He can’t be defying law.”
The Calcutta High Court, which on Monday granted permission to Adhikari to visit Sandeshkhali, had also directed the BJP leader not to give any provocative speech or create any law and order situation in the restive area. The West Bengal government had moved an appeal before the division bench challenging Monday’s order.
(Inputs from ANI)