Kolkata, May 9 -- Revealing yet another video where the BJP's Basirhat candidate Rekha Patra, along with few other women, were purportedly heard alleging that random women were taken to meet the President of India instead of the victims of alleged sexual harassment in Sandeshkhali, Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday requested the Election Commission (EC) to direct the appropriate police station to initiate criminal proceedings against state BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari and others involved in hatching a conspiracy.
Following the first video clip revealed by TMC where a BJP leader Gangadhar Kayal was purportedly heard saying that few women in Sandeshkhali were paid by his party leaders, including Suvendu Adhikari, to lodge false complaints of sexual harassment against some of the local Trinamool leaders, another clip was released by TMC on Thursday which purportedly showed Rekha Patra and some other women alleging that random women were taken to meet the President of India instead of the victims. The authenticity of the video clips in question has not been verified by Millennium Post.
In its deputation to the EC, Trinamool complained against Suvendu Adhikari, Gangadhar Kayal, BJP's mandal sabhapati in Sandeshkhali-II, Shanti Dolui, BJP's mandal sabhapati in Sandeshkhali-I and other unknown individuals associated for alleged commission of "serious fraud upon society by terrorizing the general public with a false narrative of hostility being committed against women of Sandeshkhali, including rape." Trinamool alleged that these people engaged in a "deep-rooted conspiracy to orchestrate false rape complaints" against now suspended TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar. The party alleged that it was done by the BJP to tarnish its image and sway public opinion in favour of the saffron brigade.
The party further alleged that one of the complainant Jaba Rani Singha admitted to being misled and coerced into signing a false statement without fully understanding its implications.
TMC demanded that the EC issue immediate direction to respective Inspector-in-Charges of competent police stations to initiate criminal proceedings against BJP leaders including Suvendu Adhikari and people associated with him for orchestrating the conspiracy. They demanded detention and interrogation of all individuals seen in the videos.
Lastly, EC was requested to issue directions for restraining the BJP and its leaders from speaking on the "false Sandeshkhali incident".
On Thursday, BJP candidate Rekha Patra submitted her nominations in the district magistrate's office in Barasat and was accompanied by Suvendu Adhikari but the duo reportedly refused to speak on the matter.
Adhikari, however, reportedly told the media that the videos are a conspiracy hatched by Trinamool's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and the I-PAC organisation.
Meanwhile, a complaint has been filed against BJP leader Gangadhar Kayal and Basirhat BJP candidate Rekha Patra in the Sandeshkhali in connection with the sting video footage incident.
According to sources, a local resident reportedly lodged the complaint against them.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.