TMC instilling fear, forcing Sandeshkhali victims to withdraw complaints: NCW Chief's letter to EC

• NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma writes to ECI stating TMC instilling fear among Sandeshkhali women
• Urges polls body to ensure women are not compelled to withdraw their complaints due to threat
• Hitting back on Sharma, TMC plans to lodge a complaint against Sharma for alleged misuse of her position in dealing with Sandeshkhali case

The National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma has penned a letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday, expressing deep concern over reports from Sandeshkhali. According to the letter, several women who were sexually assaulted by associates of Sheikh Shahjahan are allegedly facing intimidation from Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers to withdraw their complaints.

“The party workers are instilling fear among the women of Sandeshkhali to suppress the victims from coming forward with their complaints. potentially impacting the fairness of election process in the area,” the letter by the NCW stated.

She urged the Election Commission to prioritize addressing the matter, ensuring that women are not coerced into withdrawing their complaints out of fear. “Ensure that women are not compelled to withdraw their complaints due to the threat from TMC workers.”

The NCW letter follows the announcement by the Trinamool Congress that it will lodge a formal complaint with the Election Commission against Sharma for “misusing her position” and “being one of the main instigators of the Sandeshkhali issue” after several women alleged that they were misled by local BJP leaders into filing sexual assault complaints against TMC leaders.

West Bengal minister and TMC spokesperson Shashi Panja accused the NCW chairperson of acting with “political bias” regarding the Sandeshkhali allegations and “encouraged women in the area to make false accusations of sexual atrocities.”

On Thursday, the TMC circulated multiple videos purportedly showing women from Sandeshkhali alleging that they were misled by local BJP leaders into filing sexual assault complaints against TMC leaders. The videos claimed that BJP workers had made them sign blank papers, later filled out as complaints of sexual assault, and instructed them to personally visit the local police station to recount their experiences to the NCW team.