'Shattered' by sexual harassment of Sandeshkhali women, Bengal guv in Delhi

Kolkata: West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose visited the trouble-torn Sandeshkhali block in North 24 Parganas district on Monday and spoke to women protestors who alleged sexual harassment and torture by absconding TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his associates.

The governor assured the "tortured" women, who tied rakhis on his wrist, all help to get justice.

"What I saw was ghastly, shocking, shattering to my senses. I saw something which I should never have seen; I heard many things which I should never have heard... This is a shame for a civil society," Bose told reporters.

Bose left for New Delhi soon after returning from Sandeshkhali, a Raj Bhavan source said.

Women, who covered their faces with sarees and chunris apparently to hide their identities, complained to Bose about being tortured by local goons and their gangs for several years. They also expressed their apprehensions about being targeted by the arrested goons if they were released by police.

The governor said he would "fight it out" under the provisions of the Constitution, as per the laws of the land and whatever is within his powers.

"Do not be worried. You will surely get justice," Bose assured the local women.

"When I listened to my mothers and sisters there I could not believe that this could happen in Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore's place. This is no fiction. They (the women) know who did this. The goons are at large. I will fight it out (with) the democratically elected government of the state.

"Certainly, we will spare no effort to see that the guilty are punished. I can only tell you that whatever is in my limited powers, I will do," he said.

The governor said the atrocities reminded him of the famous lines of William Shakespeare "Hell is empty and all the devils are here".

"Now, it's a matter of trust. In their mind and in my mind too, it's a brother-sister relationship. I will do my best to see that the honour, and dignity of my sisters are restored," he said.

Asked whether the state government has failed to contain the situation in Sandeshkhali, Bose said, "I do not think that the state government is not able to contain this. So, I should, in all manners, ask the state their views about the matter. I have seen what is there in the field. Fairness demands that I do not jump to conclusions about the state government. I will listen to their views."

On whether he will speak to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on this matter, Bose said that both communicate quite regularly on important issues.

"I always communicate with my esteemed Constitutional colleague. She also takes care to communicate with me. That will be done," Bose said.

The women were heard saying, "We want peace, security for ourselves. We cannot stand this torture anymore".

Before meeting the women, Bose also held a meeting with senior police officers present there to take stock of the situation and directed them to take strict measures immediately.

The governor has already sought a comprehensive report on the Sandeshkhali situation from the state government.

Cutting short his Kerala trip Bose reached Kolkata and went straight to Sandeshkhali.

"I am going to Sandeskhali as I want to see for myself what's the real sandesh (message) from the gullies (lanes) of Sandeshkhali are," Bose said after arriving at the Kolkata airport on Monday morning.

Earlier in the day, senior BJP leader Dilip Ghosh expressed apprehension on whether the governor would be "allowed" to visit Sandeshkhali to review the situation there.

"He (Governor) is a sensitive man and knows that people are being tortured there. I fear he may be shown black flags. His predecessor Jagdeep Dhankhar faced several such incidents," Ghosh told reporters here.

Police said the situation in Sandeshkhali remained "peaceful" now and nobody would be allowed to disrupt the law and order there.

"Now, no untoward incident has been reported there. We will not allow anybody to disrupt the law and order situation there and will take strict action against those who violate the law," a senior police officer said.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC are in force in Sandeshkhali.