Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari and Brinda Karat of the CPI(M) were stopped by the police from visiting the troubled area of Sandeshkhali in the state’s North 24 Parganas district on Tuesday morning. According to the police, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) have been clamped in six areas of Sandeshkhali and they were stopped because their visit could spark. This comes a day after the Calcutta High Court had granted permission to Adhikari to visit Sandeshkhali. Additionally, the court stayed the promulgation of Section 144 of the CrPC in the area by the Basirhat subdivisional officer, which prohibited the assembly of five or more people. LIVE: মহামান্য উচ্চ আদালতের নির্দেশ আসার পর সন্দেশখালির উদ্দেশ্যে রওনা দিলেন বিরোধী দলনেতা শ্রী @suvenduwb এবং বিধায়ক শঙ্কর ঘোষ। https://t.co/o7TovkTfIS— BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) February 20, 2024 Adhikari had approached the high court seeking permission to visit Sandeshkhali and meet people affected by the alleged atrocities. He was also directed to provide an undertaking before the local police station, pledging not to engage in any activities that may disrupt law and order during his visit. However, the state government moved the division bench of the Calcutta High Court challenging the order of a single bench. On Tuesday, the division bench presided by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam refused to interfere with the single bench order that allowed Adhikari to visit Sandeshkhali. The bench gave permission to Adhikari to enter Sandeshkhali. After this, the police allowed Adhikari to enter Sandeshkhali. Before that, Adhikari staged a sit-in at Dhamakhali and said, “We have been unlawfully blocked”. CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat said, “We came here only to talk with the women who were assaulted. We already talked with them over the phone and they invited us. The police are now saying that peace will be disturbed. When these women were assaulted, peace was not disturbed? Is this the democracy of the TMC? What Yogi Adityanath did in Uttar Pradesh at Hathras, the same is doing TMC government at Sandeshkhali.” Tension has been rife in Sandeshkhali after several women have alleged Trinamool Congress strongman Shahjahan Sheikh and his supporters have grabbed land and sexually assaulted them. Sheikh has been absconding after officials of the Enforcement Directorate who had gone to search his premises in connection with a ration scam on January 5, and were attacked by a mob of his supporters.
