‘What happened in Sandeshkhali has probably happened in different corners of West Bengal’: Rekha Patra

One of the leaders of the women’s movement in Sandeshkhali, Patra says the “Trinamool army” is trying to hatch a conspiracy around the incident.

Sandeshkhali, a tiny island at the mouth of the Sundarbans in West Bengal, has been one of the focal points in the ongoing Lok Sabha election battle in the State. For the last four months, the island, which falls under the Basirhat Parliamentary constituency, has been in turmoil, with the women of the region staging an agitation against alleged atrocities committed upon them for a prolonged period by the local leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress party. The agitation led to the arrest of the Trinamool Congress strongman, Sheikh Shahjahan, and his two associates.

Rekha Patra, one of the main leaders of the movement and a victim, was nominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as its Lok Sabha candidate for the Basirhat seat. While the Sandeshkhali agitation has been an embarrassment for the ruling party, several videos that have recently surfaced have added a fresh twist to the ongoing controversy. In the videos, two women have claimed that they were coerced into making false allegations of rape, and in another video, a local BJP leader is heard saying that many of the complaints were filed at the instructions of the BJP.

Rekha Patra during election campaign in Basirhat constituency. | Photo Credit: Jayanta Shaw

In an exclusive interview with Frontline, Rekha Patra says that the allegations against the movement were part of a conspiracy hatched by the Trinamool Congress, and that it was demeaning the women of Sandeshkhali. Excerpts:

You provided leadership to the women’s movement in Sandeshkhali. Today, that movement is on everyone’s lips, including the Prime Minister’s. Do you think the impact of Sandeshkhali will be felt not just in your constituency but also the rest of Bengal?

What we have undergone in Sandeshkhali since 2011 has been terrifying for us. When Sheikh Shahjahan’s people attacked officials from the Enforcement Directorate in Sandeshkhali (on January 5, 2024), the mothers of Sandeshkhali realised it might not be possible for us to continue enduring what we have been putting up with since 2011. Our children are growing up, and the situation may not be safe for them in the future either. So, we women decided that we would take to the streets in agitation. We figured if we did not make use of the situation now, we may never get another opportunity to do so, and more terrible things would come our way.

On February 5, we began our agitation. On the 6th, we surrounded the police station and registered FIRs regarding what had been happening to us. The police accepted the FIRs but did not give us any receipt. They told us to come on the 7th for the receipts. So, on February 7, we again gheraoed the police station, but the police had barricaded the whole place and did not allow us to enter. We then took help from the media and entered the police station. The police then said that it was the public that was creating problems, and that Shahjahan, Uttam Sardar, and Shibu Hazra (Shahjahan’s right-hand men) were not causing any trouble.

The guilty were not considered guilty; instead, the common people were. Those who were harassed and tortured by them, whose modesty was outraged by them, were being accused of being guilty. Those outsiders who had forcibly seized control of Sandeshkhali became good in the eyes of the administration. When the residents of Sandeshkhali would go to register complaints to the police, the police would send them to Shibu Hazra and Shahjahan, saying, “Go to Shahjahan bhai . Whatever he decides will take place. If you come here, you will not be able to stay in Sandeshkhali anymore; you will have to pack your bags and leave.” If we cannot stay in our place of birth, then who will stay? Sheikh Shahjahan—an outsider who leads an army of goons. The mothers and sisters of Sandeshkhali are very happy that these people got arrested. But there are still people like Dilip Mallik and Saikat Das, who are continuing to carry out attacks and cause unrest. The State police are doing nothing about it, and we want the matter to be taken up by the CBI. The State police are working at the instance of the Trinamool goons. We cannot depend on the police.

But do you think that the Sandeshkhali movement will be a factor in the Lok Sabha election?

You are asking whether the impact of our agitation will spread to the whole of West Bengal; let me tell you, it has already spread. There is no place in West Bengal where something like this has not happened. What happened at Sandeshkhali has probably happened in different corners of the State, where the women have not been able to raise their voices in protest. But the women of Sandeshkhali did raise their voice. I am hopeful my mothers, sisters, and fathers will all support me, and by breaking their silence, will give the people of West Bengal hope for survival.

This is your first time in politics. What are you telling the people in your campaigns? And how are they receiving you as a candidate?

Given the kind of days that the people have lived through, I do not need to say anything to them. They know what they have to do. They are with me, supporting me because I am like their daughter, a girl from their family. They will not give their vote to Trinamool as they do not want to bring back Shahjahan, Uttam Sardar, and Shibu Hazra. They want peace, so that those who have been tortured for so long do not have to suffer anymore. The people may vote for me, but it will be a victory for the people. This election is to bring peace in the lives of the people.

Rekha Patra, one of the main leaders of the Sandeshkhali movement, was nominated by the BJP as its Lok Sabha candidate for the Basirhat seat.

A new controversy has erupted in Sandeshkhali. Several videos have surfaced, where two of the women have claimed that they were coerced to give false rape complaints, and a BJP district president, in a sting operation, is heard saying that several complaints were filed as per the instructions of the BJP. Your comments?

All I have to say is that the Trinamool army is trying to hatch a conspiracy. They are doing this because they have realised that they have already lost and that the BJP has gained ground. This fear is prompting them to threaten and scare people in the dead of night. They are scaring them and taking video clips that they are editing and spreading on social media through a few media establishments that are close to the Trinamool.

This is disrespecting the women of Sandeshkhali. The movement that was started by the abused mothers and sisters of Sandeshkhali is being demeaned. The fact that the BJP has selected me, Rekha Patra, as the spokesperson of Sandeshkhali and made me a candidate for the Lok Sabha seat is also why they (Trinamool) are trying to demean the BJP. But the people have understood. They will extend proper respect to the BJP.