Two tribal women stripped naked, tortured in Bengal, claims BJP

Amid the raging political debate over the violence in Manipur, the BJP leadership in West Bengal on Saturday claimed that an outrageous incident – involving stripping and beating of two women – had taken place in the state.

Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) minister Shashi Panja, however, stated that the incident was a consequence of a local market argument among women, and claimed that the BJP was giving it a political hue.

Amit Malviya, BJP’s co-incharge for West Bengal, stated on Twitter that an incident involving two women had taken place in Bengal. “Two tribal women were stripped naked, tortured and beaten mercilessly,” he alleged, adding that police played “a mute spectator”.

The horror continues in West Bengal. Two Tribal women were stripped naked, tortured and beaten mercilessly, while police remained a mute spectator in Pakua Hat area of ​​Bamangola Police Station, Malda.

The horrific incident took place on the morning of 19th July. The women… pic.twitter.com/tyve54vMmg

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) July 22, 2023

Malviya mentioned that the incident took place in Bengal’s Malda on the morning of July 19. His post included a blurred video clip of the purported incident.

BJP Bengal president Sukanta Majumdar, while tweeting, mentioned “another horrific incident”, and questioned the silence of “Didi” (referring to the Trinamool chief), and of I.N.D.I.A, the alliance of Opposition parties against the BJP, regarding the same.

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Panja, in a press conference on Saturday, said that the Malda incident being referred to is of a “haat” (market place). The two women allegedly involved were caught. They were suspected of theft and those who caught them were also ladies, she said.

“Mostly, these are poor people, and clothes gave way. A civic police volunteer, present, tried to have the argument stopped but she got overpowered,” the minister said.

Panja added that it was not appropriate for the ladies to have taken law and order into their own hands. Police are inquiring into the matter and have registered a case, she said.

“Comparing isolated cases of West Bengal to Manipur violence which led to 150+ deaths in 3 months is a disservice to the people,” the minister tweeted, later.

I.N.D.I.A presents no paradox in Bengal

While the Trinamool has joined hands with the Congress Party and the Left in the Opposition alliance I.N.D.I.A, the party has the latter two political entities as its opponents in Bengal. Panja, when asked if the situation is paradoxical, told Deccan Herald that the alliance involves rising above various differences.

“We may have ideological differences, but again, the common ideology of I.N.D.I.A will always be communal harmony, pro-development, and protection of the democracy of India. The present situation under the BJP government in all these three respects is just the reverse,” she said.

“So, I think there will be no paradox as such. I think we will have to rise above our various differences. That is why I.N.D.I.A has been formed. … They have resolved for another meeting next month in which these issues will be further deliberated on,” Panja added.