National Desk, 24th February: Amid the blazing row over allegations of sexual violence against women in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) claimed on Friday that the state police had arrested BJP leader Sabyasachi Ghosh for allegedly running a prostitution racket involving minor girls in Howrah.
TMC further asserted that the police had apprehended 11 accused and rescued six minor girls from Howrah’s Sankrail, where the alleged sex racket was operating.
In a post on X, the Mamata Banerjee-led party stated, “@BJP4Bengal leader Sabyasachi Ghosh caught running a PROSTITUTION RACKET of MINOR GIRLS in his hotel in Howrah’s Sankrail. The Police arrested 11 accused & rescued 6 victims from the spot. THIS IS BJP. They don’t protect BETIS, they protect PIMPS!”
The party criticized the saffron camp, accusing the BJP of prioritizing pimps over daughters and women.
The development unfolded amid the ongoing controversy over violence against women in Sandeshkhali, where fresh protests erupted on Friday. Women took to the streets, setting ablaze a thatched structure linked to TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan, demanding his and his aides’ arrest over allegations of sexual assault and land grabbing.
These protests came hours after Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Kumar, who visited Sandeshkhali on Wednesday, urged villagers not to take the law into their own hands.
Meanwhile, the saffron camp slammed state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC for neglecting women’s issues. Several women leaders, including BJP MP Locker Chatterjee, were detained today while en route to the area citing Section 144.
The town of Sandeshkhali has been witnessing unrest for over 10 days as women protesters seek justice for alleged land grabbing and sexual assault under coercion by Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides.
The police have so far arrested 18 people for their alleged involvement in violent protests. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday filed a fresh case against Shahjahan Sheikh and conducted searches at several locations in the state.
Shahjahan has been absconding since a mob, allegedly affiliated with him, attacked Enforcement Directorate officials who had gone to search his premises in connection with a ration scam in January this year.
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