The TMC on Wednesday accused BJP leaders in Sandeshkhali of issuing "death threats" to women who expressed their willingness to withdraw police complaints against leaders of the ruling party in West Bengal after a viral video claimed the saffron camp "hatched a conspiracy" to defame the state government.

The BJP, however, dismissed the charges and claimed that the TMC was resorting to "falsehood".

In the video, which went viral on social media on Saturday, a man, who claimed to be a BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali, was heard saying the Leader of Opposition in assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, had asked him and other BJP leaders of the area to "instigate three-four local women to level allegations of rape against three TMC leaders, including Shajahan Sheikh". Both Adhikari and the BJP have dubbed the video as "fake".

TMC leader and state minister Shashi Panja alleged, "Last week, we had seen in a viral video how the BJP had planned and orchestrated the entire Sandeshkhali fiasco. Now, women in the region are being threatened by the BJP leaders for expressing their willingness to withdraw the false complaints." "Shame on the BJP. First, they defamed women and tarnished the reputation of the entire West Bengal. Now, they are resorting to issuing death threats," she alleged.

Echoing Panja, TMC leader Susmita Dev questioned that "for how long will the saffron camp persist in spinning webs of deceit, shamelessly trampling on the dignity of our mothers and sisters for their own political greed".

"The BJP is resorting to issuing death threats to the courageous women of Sandeshkhali for daring to speak out against them. They are shamelessly threatening the women as they now stand exposed," she claimed.

The BJP, on the other hand, dismissed the TMC's allegations as "baseless".

"Why would BJP threaten the women of Sandeshkhali, when it is the BJP which is fighting for their rights? Sensing that the atrocities in Sandeshkhali would cost them this election, the TMC leaders are levelling baseless allegations," BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya claimed.

Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district had erupted in protests after women accused now-suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his associates of sexual abuse and land grabbing. He has been arrested and is now in CBI custody.

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