NCW Official Visits Home of Allegedly Tortured BJP Leader in Bengal

Delina Khongdup, a member of the National Commission for Women (NCW), visited the home of a BJP woman leader in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district. The leader was allegedly stripped and tortured. Khongdup stated that the panel would not consider the victim's political affiliation.

BJP state general secretary Agnimitra Paul led a delegation to Mathabhanga on Saturday. Paul claimed that TMC miscreants beat and stripped the local minority morcha president on June 25 while she grazed cattle. She demanded a CBI investigation into the incident, accusing police of inaction.

Political Reactions and Demands

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari announced plans for a sit-in protest by BJP women activists on July 1. They will gather in front of the assembly main gate to protest against the assault on the woman from the minority community. Adhikari criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's silence on the issue.

Adhikari pointed out that TMC had sent teams to Manipur and Hathras but remained silent about the Mathabhanga incident. He highlighted that this incident has drawn widespread condemnation. A woman was gang-raped in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh's Hathras in 2020 and later died in hospital.

Police Investigation and Arrests

A police officer mentioned that the alleged incident in Cooch Behar seemed to arise from a domestic dispute. Seven out of ten people named in the FIR have been arrested, with three more arrests expected soon.

TMC spokesperson Partha Pratim Roy refuted BJP's claims, stating that the saffron party was politicising a family dispute after losing the Lok Sabha elections in Cooch Behar.

NCW's Involvement and Actions

Khongdup met with the victim's mother and requested security at their residence. She also met officials at Mathabhanga police station and planned to speak with the SP on July 1.

The ethnic conflict between Meiteis from Imphal valley and Kukis from hills in Manipur has resulted in over 200 deaths and thousands becoming homeless.

The NCW member's visit underscores the gravity of the situation, highlighting ongoing tensions and political disputes in West Bengal.