A JOINT memorandum was submitted on March 7, 2022, to the chairperson of the National Commission for Women, Rekha Sharma by three women’s organisations – AIDWA, NFIW and AIPWA. This memorandum was in connection to the violence unleashed by the TMC government in West Bengal against women during the recent period.

The three women’s organisations stated: “Women are facing an extremely insecure atmosphere with a threat to their lives and well being in West Bengal. The TMC ruling party activists have unleashed a reign of terror and brutality against women. The administration and the police are either silent spectators when such violence is taking place or are conniving with the perpetrators of such crimes. In some cases, they have also perpetrated the atrocities. Male police personnel have misbehaved and molested protesting women. False cases are being lodged and activists are being sent to jail. Women were targeted during the recent municipal elections. The National Commission for Women must urgently take steps to put a stop to these brutalities and come forward to protect the rights of women in West Bengal.”

The women’s organisations cited incidents of atrocities and brutality, some of which are listed below and asked NCW’s intervention at the earliest.

Minakshi Mukherjee, the state president of the Democratic Youth Federation of India was leading a peaceful protest against the murder of Anis Khan on February 26, 2022. The peaceful protestors were attacked by the police, most of whom were male police, and were detained illegally. Along with 16 others, Minakashi Mukherjee was sent to jail. She has been physically assaulted in custody. The state government is protecting the killers as allegedly they are supporters of the ruling regime. We demand that the NCW intervenes to see that all false cases are withdrawn immediately, the three organisations asserted.

ATROCITIES DURING MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

In North 24 Parganas:

Basirhat Ward No 19: Polling agent Anwara Bibi was beaten up brutally by goons of the TMC. She was threatened with murder and rape and her house was attacked. She called the police for protection but no protection came forth. She has now left her home because she has been threatened by the TMC that if she returns, she will be killed.

  New Barackpore: Candidates Sandhya Mukherjee, Sayeli Majumder, Sushmita Dutta, Ila Guha, Mithu Das, Anita Acharya, Keka Banerjee, Bula Dutta, Sumita Dutta, Purnima Dutta, Baby Dutta, Bandana Dutta, Swapna Guha were attacked brutally by goons. They were pinned down on the floor, kicked, punched, slapped and attacked by bricks and stones. Candidates Rituparna Biswas, Swapna Biswas and Ananya Biswas were attacked because they opposed the illegal practices of the TMC in polling booths. In ward number 11, Soma Dey was repeatedly threatened, but she bravely withstood this terror and did not leave the booth.

Berlin Wall ward number 18: The polling agent of candidate Uma Dey, was attacked and his nose was broken; despite this, he did not leave the booth and stopped election malpractices.

South Dumdum Municipality ward 31: Candidate Soma Das Chakraborty, AIDWA state assistant secretary was beaten up brutally. She received several injuries all over her body. Further, previous councillor Aatrayee Guha, AIDWA state assistant secretary and the polling agent was tortured while trying to protect the EVM when the goons were attempting to press the TMC button illegally. Her back was pierced with the nib of a pen and she bled profusely. Candidate Atashi Chakraborty was physically assaulted, kicked and punched. Another activist, Archana Ghosh was brutally beaten up, and her eyes were badly injured.

In Hooghly

 Konnagar ward number 112: Candidate Kalpana Bagchi was surrounded by goons and attacked by the police when she tried to oppose the TMC’s illegal practices during voting. The police forced her out of the booth when she opposed these practices.

 Chunchura ward number 4: Candidate Shyamali Chakraborty was threatened and beaten. She filed an FIR with the police but no action was taken.

In South 24 Parganas

Sonarpur: Ruma Bural was threatened by TMC goons. She, her husband and son was brutally beaten for acting as poll agents.

In Bankura

 Ex chairperson of the municipality and candidate Siuli Midya, was threatened when she opposed illegal voting by the TMC. She did not move from her position and the goons were forced to retreat.

In East Burdwan

 Kalna municipal election: Women candidates and poll booth agents of the Left Front were attacked by TMC activists. The names of the candidates are a) Ward number 16 candidate Radha Mukherjee; b) Ward number 4 candidate Mridula Roy; c) Ward number 11 candidate Falguni Mallick; d) Ward number 11 election agents Anisha Banerjee and Dipasree Chatterjee; 5) Ward number 8 candidate Piyali Mukherjee. All these candidates and agents were beaten and molested; they were also threatened with rape. In ward number 1, the nomination of Left Front nominee Maniprabha Bhaduri was cancelled.

Sadore ward 26: Kadera Bibi, was put under house arrest by TMC activists before the election to prevent her from election work.

In Howrah

Uluberia municipality: The following women candidates were violently attacked: 1) Ward number 13, Tanusree Giri; 2) Ward number 23 Rehana Sultana; 3) Ward number 5,  Sathi Jana; 4) Ward number 9, Kakali Dey.

OTHER INCIDENTS

 Police committed atrocities and sexual assault on the women protesters of AIPWA at the Narendrapur police station. 

The internecine feud between TMC in Burdwan district took the life of Tuhina Khatun. She herself was an active TMC member but committed suicide after severe harassment and threats to her and her family by the elected TMC councillor of ward number 27, Mohammad Bashir.

 Adivasi women protesters of Deocha-Pachami in Birbhum district were brutally beaten by the police personnel for raising their voice against the proposed open-pit coal mine there.

The women’s organisations stated the list is endless. The instances clearly show the abuse of power by the ruling TMC in West Bengal. They urged the NCW chairperson to take up this issue of injustice meted out to women in West Bengal urgently.