The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday targeted the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal over an incident in which a woman and a man were flogged publicly in North Dinajpur on the allegation of being in an “illicit” relationship. The accused has been arrested.
“A horrific video has come to light from West Bengal, reminding of the brutalities that exist only in theocracies. To make matters worse, the TMC cadre and MLAs are justifying the act. Be it Sandeshkhali, Uttar Dinajpur or many other places, Didi’s West Bengal is UNSAFE for women,” BJP chief J.P. Nadda posted on social media platform X.
At a press conference, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia questioned the “silence” of the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc leaders on the issue.
“...a woman has been flogged, physically abused, along with a man. This has been done at a public place, violating their dignity and their fundamental right to associate with each other. What puts the entire country to shame is the fact that Mamata Banerjee has not spoken a word on this. She being a woman Chief Minister should have been the first one to come out and condemn this incident,” Mr. Bhatia said.
“What’s makes the matter worse is that the accused happens to be a TMC leader, he is a habitual offender, he believes in kangaroo court justice and calls it ‘insaf sabha’...law and order has completely collapsed in West Bengal,” he alleged, demanding Ms. Banerjee’s resignation.
The BJP leader said a TMC MLA, Hamidul Rehman, when asked a pointed question on the incident “justified it by saying this kind of justice and this kind of criminal system prevails in Islamic nations, thus endorsing the ‘Talibani style’ of dispensing justice in a country which...believes in rule of law....”
In the video, the accused was seen flogging the woman and the man with a bamboo stick. Taking cognisance of the incident, the West Bengal Police have registered a case and arrested him.
