"Mountain Of A Molehill": Mamata Banerjee Amid Sandeshkhali Controversy

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee doubled down on her claim that the BJP is behind the massive controversy over sexual exploitation allegations from Sandeshkhali. Her detractors, she alleged, are making a “mountain out of a molehill”.

Speaking at an event in Birbhum, the Chief Minister doubled down on detractors and said the incident was engineered. “You try to create knots in Bengal and we try to untie knots. If any person is tortured then our government takes steps. One incident has happened. The incident has been made to happen,” she said.

“First they sent the ED there. Then its friend the BJP entered with the ED. And some media along with them. After going there, they are making a mountain of a molehill. Instead of peace, they are starting fires,” Mamata Banerjee said.

So far, the local women have held more than one protest, alleging that local Trinamool leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides are systematically exploiting them. Union minister Smriti Irani has spoken of a religious angle — which the Trinamool has vehemently rejected.

“No woman has made any police complaint or an FIR so far,”Mamata Banerjee said, declaring that because of this, she has asked the police to file “suo motu” cases.

“I want to tell people that whoever has any complaint, I will send officers and they will listen to you. If anyone feels that someone has taken something from someone, everything will be returned,” Ms Banerjee said, in what was apparently a reference to the land-grabbing allegations against the Trinamool strongman.  

Three ministers of the Trinamool Congress visited the area today and promised that all the complaints will be resolved. On instructions of the party’s second-in-command Abhishek Banerjee, ministers Birbaha Hansda, Sujit Bose and Partha Bhowmick visited Sandeshkhali. The complaints that have been reported will be addressed by the party, they assured the locals.

Many residents of Sandeshkhali have complained about Sheikh Shahjahan and his henchmen Uttam Sardar and Shibu Prasad Hazra.

Hazra and Sardar have been arrested. Sheikh Jahan is still on the run. State police chief Rajeev Kumar told reporters that the case which was registered by the police, has been stopped by the ED and the central agency should arrest him.