Sandeshkhali events do not match with official records on women safety in Bengal: Calcutta HC

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday observed that what has happened with the women in Sandeshkhali in the state's North 24 Parganas district, if true, is not in conformity with the official records of women's safety in the state.

The observation by the division bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya came as it heard a suo motu public interest litigation taken up by the court on the charges of violence and harassment against women of Sandeshkhali which had rocked the entire state in the recent past.

"The latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau has rated women's safety in West Bengal as high. But, the counsel of the women victims at Sandeshkhali has submitted affidavits in the court narrating the details of what happened to them there. If even one of so many accusations come out to be true, then it is really a matter of shame," the Chief Justice said.

During the hearing, BJP leader and counsel of the women, Priyanka Tibrewal, argued that those who came to her with their allegations had tears in their eyes.

"The root of the problem is illegal land grabbing at Sandeshkhali. Even the police were involved in such matters. I do not know how long it will take for the victims to get justice," she said.

Appearing for the state government, Advocate General Kishore Datta said that he wondered whether Tibrewal was arguing as a counsel of the victims or a political personality, and also sought that a public interest litigation should not turn into a platform of political discourse.

After hearing both sides, the division bench reserved the judgment on the matter.