X/Sanjiv K Pundir
New Delhi: An incident involving the alleged stripping and assault of a 32-year-old woman in Cooch Behar has sparked a political controversy, with the BJP and TMC trading accusations amid conflicting narratives.
According to BJP claims, the victim, purportedly the vice-president of the party's minority front, was attacked by members of the TMC. BJP has escalated the matter by petitioning the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to dispatch a team for an independent investigation into the incident. Meanwhile, TMC has dismissed these allegations, labeling them as divisive politics aimed at communalizing the issue.
@akg1201 A Muslim woman was stripped and beaten at Ramthenga Market in the Mathabhanga Assembly of Coochbehar district in #West_Bengal for Supporting #BJP
— Sanjiv K Pundir (@k_pundir) June 27, 2024
Rosonara Khatun,a member of the BJP's Minority Morcha,was dragged by her hair and subjected to severe physical assault. pic.twitter.com/avItYhDShw
Police investigations, however, present a different account, suggesting the incident stemmed from a longstanding family dispute rather than political motives. The victim's father lodged a complaint alleging that neighbors, with whom they had an ongoing feud, verbally abused and physically assaulted his daughter. He clarified that while he did not initially name any political party in the complaint, he later mentioned to reporters that the attack might have been politically motivated due to his daughter's affiliation with BJP.
#WATCH | Darjeeling, West Bengal: BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul reaches Bagdogra airport to meet post-poll violence victim
— ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2024
She says, "One of our sisters from Bengal who belongs to the minority community was stripped and beaten and paraded naked in her village by TMC miscreants. Till… pic.twitter.com/hp08GNxkRt
At MJN Hospital in Cooch Behar, the victim recounted a harrowing experience where she was allegedly stripped and threatened by TMC women, who demanded her allegiance to their party under threat of further violence. Police have since arrested four individuals, including three women, in connection with the incident, as well as the victim's brother-in-law for spreading misinformation.
Authorities have refuted claims of a politically orchestrated assault, asserting that prior disputes and scuffles within the village led to the altercation, resulting in torn clothes during the scuffle. BJP leader Shubhendu Adhikari condemned the incident as a blot on civilized society, criticizing local police initially for their reluctance to register the complaint without intervention from higher authorities.
In response, West Bengal's Women and Child Development Minister Shashi Panja accused BJP of exploiting the situation for narrow political gains, emphasizing the rejection of such tactics by the people of West Bengal and advocating for constructive politics beneficial to the state. The unfolding situation underscores tensions between political factions in the region, complicating efforts for impartial investigation and resolution.
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