n Even as Sandeshkhali unrest betrayed all the signs of drifting characteristically towards Nandigram movement that catapulted Mamata Banerjee to power in 2011, the mass protest continued in the North 24 Parganas block this time spreading like wild fire to neighbouring villages.
On Friday there were new areas of violence at Belmajur and Tebhaga More where hundreds of villagers blocked roads and burnt wood blocks after being attacked by the armed men of Sheikh Shahjahan. Subsequent to their resistance the police resorted to mild lath-charge and arrested several agitators which further ignited the matter when the women in great numbers blocked the roads and jostled with the police.
The situation deteriorated soon after Director General and Additional Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar and Supratim Sarkar left the area assuring justice to the villagers, sources said.
“Their senior officers assured us that all the houses that were ransacked and destroyed by the men of Shahjahan would be restored in a couple of days should there prevail peace … but after they left the island the police swooped down on us arresting our men indiscriminately … so how do we rely on the police … we are poor people and Shahjahan and his men have literally looted us of our lands and honour for the past one decade … instead of arresting them the police are torturing us … now we have no fear … we are ready to see the end of it all,” the women fumed.
The police had clamped Section 144 of CrPC in several villages of Sandeshkhali.
Sandeshkhali hit the national headlines on January 5 when the goons of Shahjahan a TMC strongman and a district board member --- close to jailed Food Minister Jyotipriya Mallick --- attacked and injured a team of Enforcement Directorate when they went to search his house in connection to the Rs 10,000 crore ration scam. Even as he went underground thereafter Sandeshkhali erupted with the locals, gheraoing the police station demanding their usurped lands and seeking justice for their women who had been sexually assaulted for years.
Subsequently two henchmen of Shahjahan Shibu Hajra and Uttam Sardar, both district board members were arrested. However former CPI(M) MLA Nirapada Sardar too was arrested on charges of inciting the locals against the government.
Meanwhile, the TMC leadership in Kolkata continued to blame the BJP and the Left for fishing in troubled waters even as State minister Shashi Panja on Friday said, “the BJP and the CPI(M) may try their best to incite the poor gullible people but they will not succeed because the anger of the people is not against the government policies but some local leaders who are being taken care of … the people will continue to love and vote for Mamata Banerjee.”
