Sandeshkhali violence: TMC cancels planned public meeting today amid mounting controversies

Sandeshkhali violence: The Trinamool Congress has canceled its public meeting scheduled today.

Women in Sandeshkhali protest against alleged sexual abuse by TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh. (ANI photo)

Sandeshkhali: Amid growing controversies over the complaints of harassment against women in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali, the Trinamool Congress has canceled its public meeting, which was scheduled to take place today i.e. Sunday. Instead, two members of the state cabinet, namely Irrigation Minister Partha Bhowmik and Fire Minister Sujit Bose, will go to Sandeshkhali later in the day.

After talking to locals, the two will determine the date of the public meeting. Party insiders said the decision to cancel Sunday's public meeting in Sandeshkhali was taken on Saturday evening, hours after Trinamool Congress's second leader accused of sexual harassment and violence against women, Shibu Hazra, walked out from a hideout by the state police had been arrested.

Section 144 continues to be imposed

“Full normalcy is yet to be restored there. Section 144 is still imposed there. At the same time, the State Council higher secondary examinations are underway. Any public meeting can therefore cause inconvenience to the examinees. So taking into account all the factors and being a responsible political party, we have decided to cancel our public meeting on Sunday,” a senior member of the state cabinet said on condition of anonymity.

He also said that the public meeting in Sandeshkhali could most likely take place on March 4 after the higher secondary examinations are over. While the two prime suspects in the women harassment case, Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar, have been arrested by the police, the duo's alleged political mentor and accused mastermind of the attack on ED and CAPF personnel on January 5, Shahjahan is still on the run.

But recently, Prime Minister Mamata Banerjee all but proved Shahjahan right and accused the ED of going to Sandeshkhali to attack the absconding leader with the intention of creating tension there.

(With input from agencies)