The Free Press Journal

Sandeshkha­li row: TMC complains to EC over viral video

- ARITRA SINGHA / KOLKATA

After another video on Sandeshkha­li sting went viral, Trinamool Congress (TMC) complained to Election Commission against BJP leaders, including leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, BJP mandal president of Sandeshkha­li Gangadhar Koyal and others for allegedly creating a “false narrative of atrocities” being committed against women of Sandeshkha­li, including rape.

In the video, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Bashirhat candidate Rekha Patra is purportedl­y seen questionin­g about the identity of the victims who met President Droupadi Murmu.

In the complaint, TMC demanded, “Immediate direction(s) to respective Inspectors-in-Charge of competent police stations to initiate criminal proceeding­s against BJP leaders, including Suvendu Adhikari and people associated with him, for his alleged role in orchestrat­ing the conspiracy, including paying bribes to the women of Sandeshkha­li to falsely raise complaints and attempting to influence central investigat­ing agencies and other constituti­onal authoritie­s. Immediate direction(s) of detention and interrogat­ion of all individual­s seen in the videos, including Gangadhar Koyal, Shanti Dolui, and any other BJP members implicated in the recordings.”

Notably, in the video, Rekha Patra along with few other women were purportedl­y heard saying that they are the victims and they have already met with the Prime Minister to complain about the incident.“We met the PM Sir. Then who are those who met the President Madam at Rashtrapat­i Bhavan,” questioned Rekha and others.

Meanwhile, while taking part in a procession to file nomination of Rekha Patra, LoP Adhikari said that the BJP will soon move the court.

“In a day or two we will move the court. All the videos which are going viral on Sandeshkha­li are handiwork of I-Pac and Bhaipo (Abhishek Banerjee),” claimed Adhikari.

Addressing an election campaign virtually, TMC national secretary Abhishek Banerjee blamed the saffron camp for ‘faking harassment against women’ in Sandeshkha­li.

Taking to X, Congress leader Pawan Khera also slammed BJP and said, “There were hundreds of debates on the direction of the ruling party on #Sandeshkha­li. Now that the complainan­t has exposed the role of the BJP, will this be debated, too?”

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