Amid widespread complaints of sexual offences against women allegedly committed by members of the ruling Trinamool Congress in Sandeshkhali, the BJP has intensified its campaign efforts in West Bengal even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged unwavering support to the women of Sandeshkhali. Modi’s visit to West Bengal to address an all-women rally on March 7 is poised to deliver a resounding response to the TMC in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, effectively addressing the concerns raised by the victims in Bengal.

The BJP has been striving to gain ground in West Bengal and managed to secure its symbol on 18 out of the total 42 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 general elections, while holding 70 legislators in the 294-member Assembly. However, in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had only two MPs, but in 2024, with the clarion call of securing 370 plus seats, the party hopes to win over 25 seats in the State. The Opposition bloc of the Congress, the TMC, and Left parties has nearly disintegrated in Bengal.

The BJP on Wednesday accused the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government of exceeding the erstwhile CPI(M) administration in subjecting the people of West Bengal to atrocities. Raising the issue of alleged sexual harassment of women in Sandeshkhali, senior BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad criticised the Congress and other constituents of the Opposition INDIA bloc, questioning their silence on the matter. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Sandeshkhali would be the “downfall” of his Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee and her party.

West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar visited Sandeshkhali on Wednesday afternoon to assess the situation in the area, which has been marked by protests following allegations of sexual abuse of women by TMC leaders. In his first visit to the area since the protests began, Kumar, accompanied by senior police officers, including ADG South Bengal Supratim Sarkar, went to Sandeshkhali police station and held meetings there, according to a police source.

Meanwhile, a row has erupted after Sikh IPS officer Jaspreet Singh retaliated after being called “Khalistani” while he was speaking to a group of protesting State BJP leaders and workers led by Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday. Singh is part of a special team deployed by the West Bengal Police to maintain law and order and investigate complaints by villagers in Sandeshkhali. While the senior police officer has maintained that he will lodge a case, the BJP has dismissed the claim and sought to prove when the Khalistani slur was used against the officer on duty.

On the other hand, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has “opened the doors” of the Raj Bhavan for the victimised women of the trouble-torn Sandeshkhali region who feel unsafe in their homes.

“The Sandeshkhali issue is becoming very serious. The blatant assault, humiliating treatment, and sexual assault on women are a shame on our society and democracy,” Ravi Shankar Prasad said at a press conference at the BJP headquarters in the national capital.

The BJP leader also criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for “defending” such incidents in the State, questioning her conscience and that of other Opposition parties.

“When Mamata Banerjee struggled (in the past) against the CPI(M)’s atrocities and sat on an indefinite agitation against it, we all became her fans and lauded her struggle. Today, her atrocity and police repression have surpassed that of the (then) CPI(M) rule,” he charged.

“It’s a shame. Where is her conscience?” Prasad asked, adding, “Mamata ji, you will have to give a reply. Mamata ji, you will have to pay for it. People will give a political reply to you.”

Sources within the BJP have indicated that the Prime Minister is planning to address a women’s rally in Barasat, West Bengal, on March 7, a day before International Women’s Day.

The riverine Sandeshkhali area, situated on the borders of the Sunderbans about 100 kilometres from Kolkata, has been witnessing protests after local women accused absconding Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sheikh Shajahan and his supporters of land grab and sexual assault under coercion.

West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said the Prime Minister is likely to visit Barasat on March 7 to address a women’s rally. Majumdar had to be hospitalised with injuries last week as BJP workers clashed with police personnel after being stopped from going to Sandeshkhali.

A senior BJP leader said it is very likely that the visit by the Prime Minister will occur in early March, before the announcement of General Elections, as the model code of conduct will be enforced.

“PM Modi will visit West Bengal shortly as several projects are lined up. Most importantly, the PM is concerned about the incident in Sandeshkhali, and the party is planning a first-ever all-women rally as the NDA government has been specifically working for the welfare of women and related schemes. The final tour program will be known shortly,” said the party leader.

While Sheikh has been missing since January 5, when a mob attacked Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers during a raid at his residence in connection with an alleged ration scam, TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has blamed the BJP for orchestrating an incident in the area along with the ED and the media.

Senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya, who was the BJP incharge of West Bengal, claimed a strong nexus exists among goons, police, and politicians in West Bengal.