How the BJP Continues to Communalise Sandeshkhali

Predictably, Sandeshkhali has emerged as a pivotal political issue in West Bengal for the upcoming general election. What began as protests against allegations of sexual assault by local women against local TMC leaders have now transformed into a symbolic representation of broader anxieties surrounding corruption and safety in the state.

The ongoing issue has not only placed the Mamata Banerjee government on the defensive but laid bare vulnerabilities within the TMC regime.

As religious politics over Sandeshkhali led by BJP takes centre stage, the locals are now confronted with an unexpected twist in their daily lives. The entire landscape, stretching from the jetty onward, now bears the presence of saffron flags, marking a visible shift in the prevailing political narrative.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his political rallies in Bengal, has consistently spoken about the Sandeshkhali issue, comparing the protesting women with ‘Ma Durga’ to emphasise the communal angle while BJP leader Subhendu Adhikari has publicly announced his decision to rent a house in the area.

In Sandeshkhali two’s Patra Para area, women took to the streets in protest. Minati Patra, a protester, acknowledged the rampant prevalence of corruption, land grabbing, and sexual assaults, but she underlined that it was more in the nature of political oppression. ‘But who did it? The leaders of TMC, Sibu Hazra, Uttam Sardars — they are all Hindus. Shahjahan, their leader, used to come and occupy the land. Out of fear, we complied.’

With the poll dates approaching, the orchestrated politics of religious polarisation is a concern echoed across the region. As per the 2011 Census report, Hindus and Muslims coexist in the Sandeshkhali assembly constituency. Further, tribal communities hold significant influence, comprising nearly 35% of the voters. Religion-wise, Hinduism is the dominant faith, practiced by 70% of the population, while the rest follow Islam. The main accused, Shahjahan, is an OBC Muslim, while Uttar Sardar belongs to the Scheduled Tribe community and Sibu Hazra is from the Scheduled Caste.

Mohammed Massiah of Korakathi in Sandeshkhali Block 2 dismissed the notion of religious discrimination, stating, ‘The perpetrators did not look into the religion. They took away my land and made me unemployed. They are tyrants. You think they would discriminate based on religion? They are terrible people.’

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Even before the BJP declared Patra as the local candidate for the upcoming polls, women from the area were wary of the saffron party’s campaign exploiting religious sentiments for political gain.

Swapna Sardar from Kotha Para said, ‘We have been protesting against Sibu and Uttam’s atrocities. Shahjahan used to torture us and take away our land.’

Rama Sardar, who has sent her daughter to Bashirhat for higher education, shared her concerns. She revealed, ‘I cannot afford to take a risk. What if the devil takes a fancy at her? In our community, many families here tend to marry off their daughters at a young age. It’s a way of life unique to our island! Shibu, despite being a Hindu, displayed no mercy towards the vulnerable people of his own religion. He uprooted all the crops with a JCB machine, transforming them into a saltwater fishery.’

Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader Nirapada Sardar, who was initially arrested by the state police for leading the protest against atrocities, condemned the TMC for committing grave crimes in Sandeshkhali but dismissed the religious angle as a divisive tactic.

Sardar said: ‘We are fully supportive of the women’s movement. We stand by them, but it’s crucial to note that there is no religious issue at play here. These are political lumpens. They did’t even spare their own supporters’ families. The political foundation in this region was laid by the Tebhaga movement, and attempts to succeed by introducing outsiders to spread religious discord will not prevail. Our approach is to go to the people, recognising that fear still pervades in the community.’

The courage to file complaints

The collusion between the administration and the political power center had given rise to a controlling society, where the local party dictated every aspect of life in Sandeshkhali. From granting permission to celebrate religious festivals to regulating ferry movement across islands, Shahjahan practically governed the affairs of the island. This influence extended to the extent that even the sitting MLA Sukumar Mahato operated in subservience to Shahajahan.

‘They used to say, make us happy first. Serve us and the policemen. We are the lords of the land here. No one could enjoy any religious festival in this environment,’ said Chhaya Sardar from the Badh Para.

The name of now-suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sahajahan Sheikh inscribed in a market square in Sarberia. Photo: Joydeep Sarkar

At North 24-Parganas’s Sarberia, around 60 kilometres from Sandeshkhali, where the Enforcement Directorate (ED) faced resistance from locals, The Wire met a few women who claimed to have taken part in the agitation. ‘You saw us marching on January 5 and 6. We were told to say in front of the media that Shahjahan is our saviour, our God. We didn’t want to say it ourselves. Dada’s people forced us, threatened us to call at night if we don’t protest,’ shared a woman who did not want to disclose her name.

‘We are still in fear because the police are still with them. Dada (Shahjahan), Shibu, and Uttam’s men are still out there,’ she added.

In nearby Rampur village, The Wire met individuals who have now found the courage to lodge complaints against forceful land grabbing by local Trinamool leaders over the years. Mahakhali Molla of Manipur faced eviction from his land by local Trinamool leader Rabin Das.

‘About eight years back, Shahjahan’s army [associates] occupied 1.63 acres of my land. Local TMC leader Siddiqui Mollah has grabbed land from many of us. We are now determined to reclaim that land!’ declared Hanif Laskar, whose agricultural land was converted into a fishery.

Translated from the Bengali original by Aparna Bhattacharya.