Bharatiya Janata Party leader Amit Malviya shared a video of two tribal women allegedly beinng stripped naked, tortured and beaten mercilessly by a mob in West Bengal's Malda district and he claimed that the police remained 'mute' spectator to the incident.
The head of BJP's IT department and the co-in charge for the party in West Bengal shared the blurred video of the incident on his Twitter handle, he said, "The horrific incident took place on the morning of 19th July. The women belonged to socially marginalised community and had a frenzied mob baying for her blood…"
He then continued to slam West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, "It had all the making of a tragedy that should have ‘broken’ Mamata Banerjee’s heart and she, instead of merely outraging, could have acted, since she is also the Home Minister of Bengal…"
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On July 19, the video of two Kuki women in Manipur stripped naked and allegedly raped circulated on social media causing a stir in the political scenario of the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke his silence about the Manipur violence for the first time as he asked for strict punishment of the perpetrators.
Amidst the opposition leaders across the country accusing the BJP of mishandling the Manipur issue, BJP leaders have been highlighting similar cases of atrocities against women in states ruled by its rivals such as the Congress and the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress.
Malviya further said in his tweet, "Neither did she condemn the barbarity nor did she express pain and anguish because it would have exposed her own failing as a chief minister,"
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Malviya also slammed Banerjee for her take on the video from Manipur, he said, "But a day after, she shed copious tears and screamed blue murder because it was politically expedient," pointing out that Trinamool Congress has not yet taken cognisance of this incident.
What are other ministers saying?
Union Minister of Women and Child Development Smriti Irani reacted to the Malda incident and she told the media, "This (Manipur viral video) issue is not only sensitive but has implications with regard to national security and is known to the opposition leaders. However, the Opposition did not want to discuss the issue on the floor of the Parliament. What is extremely alarming is that yesterday, from the state of Rajasthan, a minister spoke up on crime against women in the state, he was unceremoniously dismissed by the Congress. Equally shocking is a video that is emanating from West Bengal's Malda where two Dalit women are being beaten and stripped. The Congress did not want to hear the truth about atrocities against women in the state of Rajasthan... The Congress is a mute spectator to the killings of people during the West Bengal Panchayat elections all because it is hungry for collaboration with TMC."
Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar took to Twitter to ask why the newly formed opposition alliance is silent about this incident and not condemning it. He wrote, "Another horrific incident with the Tribal women in WB. Two Tribal women were stripped naked & beaten mercilessly in Malda. Like other heinous incidents, Didi is silent & not taking any action in her own rule. Why I.N.D.I.A. isn’t condemning this?”
The Congress, which gave a 'failed' verdict to the Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani amid the national outrage on the video on the parading of two disrobed women in Manipur, condemned the Malda incident. WBPCC president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury alleged that several such cases were not reported. "I strongly condemn the incident. Those responsible for it must be brought to book and the strictest punishment should be meted out to them," he told reporters.
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How did TMC react?
West Bengal minister and Trinamool Congress leader Shashi Panja at a press briefing clarified that the video being shared was a case of theft and that "there is absolutely no need to politicise the Malda incident”. She reportedly told the media, "A group of women tried to take law and order into their hands and started beating them. However, the police reached the spot. A case has been registered & police are investigating the matter."
The West Bengal director general police Manoj Malviya said on Friday that no evidence of the act was found.
