A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi fired barbs at the Trinamool Congress over the raging Sandeshkhali issue, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today led a rally of women supporters in Kolkata.

Incidentally, some women from Sandeshkhali island in North 24 Parganas district, which has made headlines for the serious allegations against local Trinamool leaders, also took part in the rally. The theme of the rally is Mahilader Adhikar, Amader Angikar (women’s rights, our commitment). The rally is in signature Mamata Banerjee style – a foot march with her at the front. Among the prominent women Trinamool leaders to join her are Sushmita Dev, Shashi Panja and the party’s newly-elected Rajya Sabha MP and journalist Sagarika Ghose. Ms Banerjee’s nephew and the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also joined the march. 

Addressing the rally, Ms Banerjee said, “Yesterday, BJP leaders said women are tortured in Bengal. I can challenge that women are the safest in Bengal.”

Targeting the Prime Minister without naming him, he said, “Where was he when women were paraded naked in Manipur, when a woman was raped and her body forcibly cremated in Hathras? Have you forgotten Bilkis (Bano)?”

Ms Banerjee also responded to former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijt Gangopadhyay joining the BJP. “A BJP babu was sitting on the bench and he joined BJP. How can you expect justice from them?”

Every year, Ms Banerjee leads a march of women to mark the International Women’s Day on March 8. But this time, the rally is being held on March 7. It is learnt that the reason behind the date change is Shiv Ratri, which will be celebrated tomorrow.

Women voters form a key support base for the Trinamool Congress. Over the 13 years that the party has stayed in power, Ms Banerjee has consolidated this support base through schemes such as Kanyashri, Rupashree and Lakshmir Bhandar. But the Sandeshkhali episode and BJP’s aggressive campaign threatens to divide this voter base, and the Trinamool is taking no chances.

In his remarks at the BJP’s Mahila Morcha event in Barasat yesterday, Prime Minister Modi described the Trinamool government as “anti-women”. He also said women in Bengal are outraged and the “storm of Sandeshkhali” won’t remain restricted to Sandeshkhali and spread across Bengal.

He also alleged that the Bengal government is using all its might to protect Sandeshkhali strongman Sheikh Shahjahan, who is now in the CBI’s custody. Sandeshkhali residents have accused Shahjahan and his aides of land grab, extortion and sexual harassment.

After the allegations surfaced and the BJP raised a political storm, Ms Banerjee had, in a speech in the Assembly on February 15, hit back and accused Enforcement Directorate (ED) of targeting Shahjahan. But as the issue garnered national attention, the Trinamool changed tack and arrested the strongman. He was also expelled from the party for six years. The Trinamool then tried to turn the tables on the BJP, daring it to act against leaders who face serious charges.

In the Trinamool’s response to the Prime Minister’s remarks yesterday, party leader Derek O’Brien said,

“Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lectured on Nari Shakti. Three questions to you, Sir – Why are there 51 cases of crimes against women every hour? Why does BJP have 13 per cent women in Lok Sabha, why only 14 per cent women in 195 candidate list? Why no action against BJP MP charged with sexually harassing wrestlers?” The Trinamool leader was referring to BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who had to step down as the national wrestling federation chief in the wake of sexual harassment allegations.

The Trinamool’s move to get a group of Sandeshkhali women in today’s march is to counter the Prime Minister’s meeting with some women from the island after his public address yesterday. BJP leaders have said the Prime Minister had heard the women “patiently, like a father figure, as they narrated their ordeal”.

Karnataka’s ruling Congress is having trouble finding candidates to field in the Lok Sabha elections. Sources told NDTV that several ministers of the state — which is also the home state of party chief Mallikarjun Kharge — have already turned down the request to contest. Reason: No one wants to leave positions of power in the state and dive into uncertainty, sources indicated.

In the 2019 general election, the BJP won 25 seats, the Congress won one and HD Kumaraswamy’s Janata Dal secular, which is currently in alliance with the BJP, won one seat. One seat went to an Independent, supported by the BJP.

This time, with the party’s victory in the state in last year’s assembly election and good response to Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Congress is hoping for a change in fortune.

Sources said the party’s Central leadership wants ministers of Siddaramaiah government to contest some of the state’s 28 Lok Sabha seats. The ministers on the Central leaders’ list include Satish Jarkiholi, B Nagendra, Krishna Byre Gowda, K H Muniyappa, H K Patil and Ishwar Khandre. But sources said none are on the same page.

Several, including Lakshmi Hebbalkar, have  refused.

Ms Hebbalkar, the minister of Women and Child Development in the Siddaramaiah government, said she wants her son Mrinal Hebbalkar to contest.

“This is the hope of the people of Belagavi and the leaders here, his name has also been recommended,” Ms Hebbalkar told reporters.

“I have come to know from the media… even when my brother was chosen to be made a member of the Legislative Council, all the leaders of the district together took this decision,’ she added.

Social Welfare Minister SC Mahadevappa has flatly refused, without citing any reason.

“I am not a Lok Sabha candidate. I will not contest elections. I will try for the victory of whoever the high command gives the ticket to,” he told reporters.

Sources said the party is going to take a hard line on the issue. State party chief DK Shivakumar said, “Everyone will have to accept whatever the party high command decides, even I will have to accept it. We all are here because of the party. Everyone will accept the decision and will win most of the seats”.

Congress general secretary in charge of the state, Randeeep Surjewala, said, “Only one minister has been asked to contest so far and he has asked for time to consider the matter”.

Maidaan is one of the most anticipated films of the month. Starring Ajay Devgn, the film is a sports drama directed by Amit Sharma. Its trailer is out now.

The trailer of Maidaan sees Ajay Devgn essaying the role of football coach Syed Abdul Rahim who is known as a pioneer in Indian football. Ajay Devgn makes for a convincing sportsperson in the video.

Check it out here:

The trailer launch of Maidaan was attended by Boney Kapoor, Priyamani and other stars.

Maidaan will clash at the box office with Bade Miyan Chote Miyan starring Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff. The film will be released on Eid this year.