Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose on Monday sought a report from chief minister Mamata Banerjee on the public flogging of a couple, allegedly by a Trinamul leader, which was reported to have happened on Friday in North Dinajpur’s Chopra on Sunday.
According to Raj Bhawan officials, Bose expressed “shock” at the incident and described it as “barbarous.”
A person resembling the Trinamul “leader” in question, Tajemul Islam, locally known as JCB, was seen flogging a couple – who allegedly had an extramarital affair – while bystanders looked on.
The video, which has been doing the rounds on social media, shows the man and woman being thrashed till they lose their consciousness.
Tajemul was arrested on Sunday afternoon as the video of the assault was widely shared and the local police lodged a suo motu complaint.
The local Trinamul MLA, Hamidul Rahaman, has apologised for the incident. Both Rahaman and district Trinamul presidemt Kanaialal Agarwal have distanced themselves from the incident.
“The salishi sabha [community meeting] was called to settle the issue. But whatever happened there was a bit excessive. We have rebuked those who resorted to such an act,” Rahaman said.
Agarwal said action will be taken against Tajemul, who is to be produced in court on Monday.
The states main Opposition, the BJP, as well as the CPM targeted the Mamata Banerjee government over the incident.
The Chopra incident happened while the state administration had unleashed a bulldozer drive to remove encroachments from streets across the state. At least three cases of lynching, including two in Calcutta, have been reported between Friday and Sunday.
BJP president JP Nadda said on Monday the kind of violence seen in Chopra existed only in theocracies and Bengal under Mamata Banerjee was unsafe for women.
“A horrific video has come to light from West Bengal, reminding of the brutalities that exist only in theocracies. To make matters worse, the Trinamul cadres and MLAs are justifying the act,” Nadda wrote on ‘X’. “Be it Sandeshkhali, Uttar Dinajpur or many other places, Didi’s Bengal is UNSAFE for women.”
At the state Assembly portico, the BJP’s women legislators – Agnimitra Paul, Chandana Bauri, Sumita Sinha and Shikha Chatterjee – sat on a demonstration on Monday to protest against the Chopra incident.
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari wrote on ‘X’: “The barbaric medieval atrocities on the women of West Bengal, belonging to the minority community by Trinamul leaders have garnered national attention and condemnation. Be it the Cooch Behar incident where Trinamul goons disrobed a lady, molested and assaulted her for being associated with the BJP, or the Chopra, Islampur incident where a renowned Trinamul strongman Tajemul publicly flogged a lady, which as per the local Trinamul MLA Hamidul Rahaman was in accordance with the “Muslim Rashtra” provisions. Such incidents are not exceptions, but a true portrayal of the reality of Benga.”
He also shared some more incidents of violence from different parts of Bengal.
CPM state secretary Mohammad Salim shared two posts on his ‘X’ handle with two videos on Sunday. In the first the couple is seen being flogged, while in the other the main accused walks in with his head held high.
“Not even Kangaroo court. Summary trial and punishment handed out by Trinamul goon nicknamed JCB. Literally bulldozer justice at Chopra under Mamata Banerjee’s rule,” posted Salim. “He who made this video now is ousted from his house. Such is the Trinamul’s rule in the liberated zone of Chopra under the supervision of the West Bengal police.”
He added:: “JCB aka Tajemul who is mercilessly attacking the lady is also the main accused in the murder of Comrade Mansur Alam. Murderers remain at large, travesty of justice continues in Bengal. Courtesy Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee. Continuation of Suvendu Adhikary model.”
