The NCSC, or National Commission for Scheduled Castes, on Friday recommended President’s Rule in Bengal amid violence and political tension after the BJP accused a Trinamool Congress strongman – the on-the-run Sheikh Shahjahan – and his aides of multiple counts of sexual assault in Sandeshkhali.

A delegation visited Sandeshkhali Thursday and submitted a report to President Droupadi Murmu this morning. NCSC Chairperson Arun Halder said, “Criminals in the state have joined hands with the government there (and this) is impacting the lives of members of the Scheduled Caste communities.”

Mr Halder also claimed the NCSC received no help from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee‘s government, when trying to meet the women who were allegedly assaulted by Sheikh Shahjahan.

The village at the centre of the latest ferocious war between the BJP and the Trinamool is on an island in the Kalindi River, in the Basirhat subdivision of Bengal’s North 24 Paraganas district.

Political tensions have been ramped up by authorities stopping delegations from the BJP – sent forth by party boss JP Nadda – and the Congress, which is (nominally still) an ally of the ruling Trinamool.

The Congress group was led by the party’s state boss, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who is an unrelenting critic of Ms Banerjee and has accused her of trying to politicise the issue.

“Why are opposition parties being stopped from entering Sandeshkhali? What is the state trying to hide? Why are they trying to politicise it?” he asked of reporters in Kolkata.

Earlier the BJP group was also stopped and is now meeting Governor CV Ananda Bose. The group has accused Ms Banerjee of being “scared” and said “Hindu women were raped… Bengal is burning”.

The turmoil here early January with the Enforcement Directorate trying to raid Shahjahan’s residence in connection with a multi-crore ration distribution scam. His men reportedly assaulted the probe agency’s officers, leading to some violence and injuries to the ED personnel.

READ | Bengal Leader “Missing” Since Probe Team Attacked, Had Bangladesh Plans

Shahjahan and a close aide have been missing since then, January 5.

That flare-up has snowballed with allegations – of the rape of “young Hindu married women”, as claimed by Union Minister Smriti Irani Tuesday – as well as charges of land grabbing.

The women also alleged torture, claiming they were targeted by Trinamool leaders who kidnapped their husbands and then summoned their wives to the party’s local office. “If we refused to go… they would thrash them. We were forced…” one woman, who did not reveal her identity, said.

The allegations reached the Supreme Court this morning after an advocate filed a PIL, or public interest litigation, calling for an inquiry by a special investigation team or the Central Bureau of Investigation. It also calls for action against cops who reportedly refused to register rape complaints.

Ms Banerjee has rubbished the claims, declaring “… have never allowed injustice” and counter-attacking by accusing the BJP of inciting trouble in Sandeshkhali before the Lok Sabha election.

“First they targeted Sheikh Shahjahan though ED, and then started trouble (in Sandeshkhali) by getting people in. There is an RSS base (there)… there were riots earlier too,” she said.

READ | “There’s RSS Base In Sandeshkhali”: Mamata Banerjee Responds

She also told the Assembly 17 people, including a former Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA, Nirapada Sardar, and a local BJP leader, Bikash Singh, have been arrested so far. “No one involved in any wrongdoing will be spared… I have sent the women’s commission and formed a police team.”

A local Trinamool leader – Uttam Sardar, who was suspended last week – was also arrested.

READ | Ex CPIM MLA Arrested In Violence-Hit Sandeshkhali Amid Protests

That, however, has not stopped attacks by Ms Banerjee’s critics.

READ | “Mamata Banerjee Is Silent Spectator”: BJP On Sandeshkhali Violence

NDTV visited Sandeshkhali Wednesday and spoke to several women.

NDTV Ground Report | “We Are Living in Fear”: Sandeshkhali Women To NDTV

The conversations revealed that while the BJP’s allegations of rape and sexual violence may not be true, many women were, in fact, called to the Trinamool’s local office at odd hours and threatened if they refused to comply. Some also said their husbands had been tortured.

READ | “Willful Misinformation”: Bengal Cops On Sandeshkhali Sexual Violence Reports

The cops, meanwhile, have claimed a section of media is spreading “willful misinformation” and issued a statement that “… reiterated (that) no allegations of sexual torture of women have been received, so far, during inquiries conducted by the State Women’s Commission and also police…”

With input from agencies

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In a show of strength amid speculation of his arrest, which has ramped up following the sixth summons issued to him on Wednesday in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal moved a trust vote in the Assembly today. Discussions on the motion will be held tomorrow. 

Moving the vote of confidence motion in the Assembly, Mr Kejriwal said two AAP MLAs told him that they were approached by members of the BJP who claimed that the Delhi chief minister would be arrested soon.

“The MLAs were told that 21 AAP legislators have agreed to leave the party and more are in touch with the BJP. They offered the MLAs Rs 25 crore to join the BJP. The MLAs told me they did not accept. When we spoke to other MLAs, we found that they had not contacted 21, but seven. They were trying to carry out another Operation Lotus,” Mr Kejriwal said. 

“So it is clear that the alleged liquor policy scam is not a scam at all but an attempt to break our party and topple the government by filing false cases like they have in other states. Their aim is not to carry out an investigation but to arrest our leaders – and they have already arrested some – in the guise of the liquor policy case. Their aim is to topple the government because they know they can never win elections in Delhi,” the AAP chief claimed. 

Swara Bhasker and Fahad Ahmad are celebrating their first wedding anniversary today. Swara posted some throwback pictures from their wedding days and penned a heartfelt note on Instagram, marking the special day. 

Swara wrote, “Wise men say, only fools rush in…’ Fahad & I certainly rushed into marriage, but were friends for 3 years prior. It was a love neither of us noticed blossoming, perhaps because the differences between us were many. Hindu-Muslim was only the most obvious. I’m older than Fahad & we come from different worlds: a big city girl from an ethnically mixed English speaking family & a small town boy from a traditional Western UP family that speaks Urdu & Hindustani. I’m an actress in Hindi films, he’s a research scholar, activist & politician. But our liberal arts education & values gave us a shared language of political beliefs & a common vision for our society & country. We met at the CAA-NRC protests in December 2019 & even organised one together. Slowly, we became close confidants.”

She further added, “I felt safe with Fahad & always seen by him. He said he could talk to me about anything without fear of judgement. After months of intense communication & night long conversations, I asked Fahad what next. He said though we were worlds apart, we were very compatible, he was very fond of me & if I waited 2-3 years for him to ‘settle’ we could marry. I was stunned but also disarmed by his confidence & candour.”

She concluded her post and wrote, “I always thought I had gone beyond the log kya kahenge mentality, but suddenly, I was worrying about how family, friends, filmy acquaintances & even my ever loyal trolls would react. I had to face the secret shadows in my heart. Amazingly, Fahad could read my unspoken fears & we worked through them. Our families were concerned, but we stood by our love. Our shocked parents accepted our BIG decision, though hesitantly & after gently laying out concerns. When they met us together, I think they felt reassured. We were married under the SMA one year ago today. Fittingly, a relationship that began at a protest to preserve the Constitution was solemnised under constitutional provisions. A month later (I was pregnant by then), we celebrated at my nana-nani’s home with shared customs. There was lots of music, feasting & a Daawat-e-Walima. The joyous 10-day affair felt like a cultural mahotsav.”

Swara Bhasker tied the knot with politician Fahad Ahmad on February 16, 2023, and welcomed their daughter, Raabiyaa, in September 2023.

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