In the wake of the shocking Manipur incident that ignited nationwide outrage, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged another disturbing incident in West Bengal’s Malda. According to the BJP, two tribal women were stripped naked and subjected to merciless beatings by a frenzied mob in the Pakua Hat area of Bamangola Police Station, Malda. The incident took place on July 19, as claimed by the party’s IT cell head, Amit Malviya.
The BJP has been consistently criticizing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over sporadic incidents of violence during the recently conducted panchayat elections. With opposition parties targeting the BJP over the Manipur incident, the party has sought to highlight similar cases of atrocities against women in states ruled by its rivals, including the Congress and the Trinamool Congress.
Amit Malviya criticized Mamata Banerjee for not taking any action in the Malda case, saying, “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.” He also pointed out that the chief minister shed tears and attacked the BJP over the Manipur incident, suggesting political opportunism.
Union Minister Smriti Irani reacted to the Malda incident, expressing concern over its implications for national security. She criticized the opposition for not discussing the Manipur issue in parliament and accused the Congress of being a mute spectator to violence during the West Bengal panchayat elections.
Bengal BJP Chief Sukanta Majumdar questioned why the new opposition alliance, I.N.D.I.A., has remained silent on the Malda incident. He called it “another horrific incident with tribal women in WB” and accused the Trinamool Congress of inaction in its own rule.
However, West Bengal Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Shashi Panja stated that there is no need to politicize the Malda incident. According to her, it was a case of theft where a group of women tried to take the law into their own hands and beat the alleged thieves. The police have registered a case and are investigating the matter.
The Malda incident came to light soon after a BJP worker in Howrah claimed she was sexually assaulted by TMC workers during the panchayat elections. She reported being dragged by her hair and pushed down a flight of stairs, with her clothes being ripped. The West Bengal DGP, Manoj Malviya, stated that the police investigated the incident but found no evidence to support the alleged incident.
As both sides engage in a political battle over these distressing incidents, the situation remains tense. The BJP continues to highlight alleged instances of violence in states ruled by its political opponents, while the TMC maintains that the Malda incident is being misconstrued and investigated thoroughly by the authorities.
Sources By Agencies
