Calcutta:
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will today visit the river island of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district – a first since the sexual harassment controversy broke out ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. But Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP, will not be far behind. Mr Adhikari has announced that he will hold a 'Jana Sanjog Yatra' in the area the day after the Prime Minister's visit.
The Prime Minister will leave for Sandeshkhali early today to chair a public distribution programme.
The obscure island in West Bengal was in the news earlier this year, before the Lok Sabha elections.
The reason was the protest by locals against alleged incidents of sexual assault and land grabbing. They blamed local Trinamool strongman Sheikh Shahjahan – who has since been suspended by the party – and his two aides, Shibu Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar.
The Trinamool later held a press conference on a series of sting operations during which a video emerged on social media. It showed a former BJP leader claiming that the entire episode was “scripted by the BJP”.
The Trinamool said the allegations of sexual harassment were politically motivated aimed at defaming the party.
The BJP alleged that the allegations were an example of Trinamool's misrule and exploitation of women.
In the Lok Sabha elections, the Trinamool Congress won the Basirhat seat, within which the Sandeshkhali assembly seat is located.
Sheikh Shahjahan was arrested on February 29 after evading police for about two months. He went on the run after his supporters attacked three Enforcement Directorate officials who were visiting Sandeshkhali on January 5. The attack injured the officials.