BJP's Suvendu accuses Bengal govt of framing 'false charges' against Sandeshkhali women
Kolkata, Dec 31: A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attended a programme in Sandeshkhali, senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday held a rally at the same place and accused her government of framing "false charges" against women in the area for protesting against the alleged misdeeds by local TMC leaders.
Addressing a public meeting on the island, situated on the borders of the Sundarbans, in North 24 Parganas district, Adhikari described Banerjee as a person "with mischievous intent".
The leader of opposition in the assembly vowed to constitute an inquiry commission to probe into alleged atrocities by local TMC leaders if the BJP comes to power in the 2026 assembly polls.
"Mamata Banerjee had conspired for the arrest of mothers and sisters at Sandeshkhali before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. They were slapped with false charges and arrested for protesting against the atrocities by local TMC strongmen like Shahjahan Sheikh. You (Mamata Banerjee) will face action for abetting such oppression if the BJP comes to power," Adhikari said.
Sandeshkhali witnessed large-scale protests earlier this year over alleged land-grabbing and sexual harassment of women by local TMC leaders.
On her first visit to Sandeshkhali since protests erupted over alleged atrocities by local TMC leaders, Banerjee had on Monday asked people in the area not to pay anyone to avail benefits of state-run schemes.
Banerjee had visited the island to chair a public distribution programme.
The CM also urged local women not to pay attention if anyone calls them for any reason and alleged that a huge amount of money was used to flare up the protest in Sandeshkhali.
Adhikari claimed that the TMC managed to win the Basirhat Lok Sabha Seat, of which Sandeshkhali is an assembly segment, "because of Muslim votes".
"The BJP, however, was ahead in the Sandeshkhali assembly segment. The results of the next assembly elections in Sandeshkhali will be in the BJP's favour as Hindus have already consolidated. They witnessed persecution by the TMC and would vote collectively against the ruling party," he claimed.
Adhikari also said that the BJP had won from Nandigram in the 2021 assembly polls and from Tamluk in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections "with consolidated Hindu votes", and asserted that this "momentum will continue".
Accusing the TMC of resorting to "unfair electoral practices", he claimed that the nomination paper of late TMC MP from Basirhat Hazi Sk Nurul Islam was fraught with "flaws" and Rekha Patra, BJP's candidate from the area in Lok Sabha polls, lodged a complaint with the Election Commission.
Adhikari also blamed the TMC regime for "growing unemployment" in the state, claiming that there are "around two crore unemployed in Bengal at present".
He accused the state government of changing the names of central projects like the PM Awas Yojana, and alleged that the people of the state were deprived of financial aid under these schemes.
Adhikari also alleged that the "TMC took the help of its hired people to launch fake videos and implicate simple and innocent people of Sandeshkhali".
"A huge amount of cash was spent for that agenda," the BJP leader claimed.
In January this year, ED officers were assaulted and their vehicles damaged when they went to the residence of now-suspended TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali to conduct a raid in connection with a multi-crore ration distribution scam.
Subsequently, several women in the area claimed that Shahjahan and his men had captured swathes of land and sexually harassed them.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Andhra delegation visits KSRTC office to study 'Shakti' Scheme
Bengaluru, Jan 3: A delegation from the Andhra Pradesh government visited the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Central Office on Friday to study the various public services with a focus on the 'Shakti' Scheme offered by the corporation.
The team visited the Shantinagar Bus Terminal and engaged with women passengers to learn about their experiences with the free travel initiative under Karnataka's Shakti Scheme.
The team also held discussions with the Karnataka Minister for Transport and Muzrai, the Vice Chairman of KSRTC, the Secretary to the Government's Transport Department, and the Managing Director of KSRTC on the successful implementation of the Shakti Scheme.
ALSO READ: Free for women, costlier for men: K'taka assembly LoP R. Ashoka on 15 percent bus fare hike in state
The press release issued by the KSRTC stated that the Andhra Pradesh delegation gained valuable insights into the measures the corporation has taken to ensure the scheme's success.
The team from Andhra Pradesh included Ministers Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy, Anitha Vangalapudi, Gummidi Sandhya Rani and senior officials.
According to the press release, the team also visited Depot-2 in the Bangalore Central Division of KSRTC to observe the various services offered to the public by the corporation.
The Managing Director of BMTC and the Directors (P&V) of KSRTC were present during the visit.
ಆಂಧ್ರಪ್ರದೇಶ ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ಸಾರಿಗೆ, ಯುವಜನ & ಕ್ರೀಡಾ ಸಚಿವ ಶ್ರೀ ಮಂಡಿಪಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಮಪ್ರಸಾದ್ ರೆಡ್ಡಿ, ಗೃಹ ಸಚಿವರಾದ ಶ್ರೀಮತಿ ಅನಿತಾ ವಂಗಲಪುಡಿ, ಮಹಿಳಾ ಮತ್ತು ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಕಲ್ಯಾಣ ಸಚಿವರಾದ ಶ್ರೀಮತಿ ಗುಮ್ಮಿಡಿ ಸಂಧ್ಯಾರಾಣಿ ಹಾಗೂ ಸಾರಿಗೆ, ಆರ್ಥಿಕ ಇಲಾಖೆ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳು, ಆಂಧ್ರ ಪ್ರದೇಶ ರಸ್ತೆ ಸಾರಿಗೆ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಯ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳ ತಂಡ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿಗೆ… pic.twitter.com/b5Q2c3YQvp
— Ramalinga Reddy (@RLR_BTM) January 3, 2025
