Mamata Banerjee on Sunday yet again accused the BJP of attempting to disrupt peace in Sandeshkhali and said the situation was being exaggerated, while a visiting delegation of her party’s leadership met people on the ground to assess the
realities.

The chief minister brought up the Sandeshkhali unrest at a public meeting in Birbhum's Suri, reaffirming her pledge against tolerating any wrongdoing.

“We always take action in case of any wrongdoing.... We will take action and whatever was taken forcibly will be returned. I have asked police to take suo motu cognisance (of offences). Our block president has been arrested,” said Mamata.

She was referring to the arrest of Trinamul Congress’s Shibaprasad Hazra on Saturday.

"Something happened at Sandeshkhali. It was made to happen. First, the ED (Enforcement Directorate) went, then their friend, the BJP went, and then the media. A mountain is being made of a molehill. They are trying to disrupt peace there, set the place ablaze, instead of restoring peace,” she added.

"Till this day, not one woman has come forward to lodge a formal complaint."

At Sandeshkhali, Trinamul’s ministers Partha Bhowmick, Sujit Bose and Birbaha Hansda went to review and assess the situation and held closed-door interactions to learn about the grievances. The meeting was held at the Bholakhali Adivasi Sikshya Niketan ground on Kalinagar island.

“We had informed the district leadership and police about the wrongdoings by Sheikh Shahjahan and his men. But they remained silent,” said a villager.

The three leaders sent by Mamata sought to refute the allegations and assured the aggrieved villagers that all grievances would be addressed.

The trio also announced that the villagers would be paid by Hazra and Uttam Sardar — trusted aides to Shahjahan — very soon through a special fundraising drive in two blocks of Sandeshkhali for the properties like land and ponds the duo had allegedly grabbed.

“Our supporters will be asked to donate whatever they can, to arrange money for the villagers, who were unfortunately cheated by one of our party leaders. This is a commitment,” irrigation minister Bhowmick said, after urging villagers not to blame Mamata for it.

The party has so far shortlisted 41 villagers who are owed money by the two Trinamul leaders. The party would arrange for the money soon, said the delegation.

“Anger was brewing among villagers about some of our party leaders, which was exacerbated by the CPM and the BJP. But why should Mamata Banerjee be held responsible for it? It was a wrong deed by some individuals, and the party never supported it,” Bhowmick said.

He also said the party’s internal probe against Hazra was yet to be completed. Party insiders said the report of the probe and some punishment for Hazra were likely to be announced on March 3 when a mega “confidence-building” rally was slated to be held at Sandeshkhali.

In Kalinagar, Bhowmick announced the removal of Hazra from the post of Trinamul’s Sandeshkhali 2 block president.

Bhowmick said local MLA Sukumar Mahata would be temporarily handling the responsibilities of Hazra.

The administration on Sunday lifted prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPc from four out of 19 places.

The state land and land reforms department has set up camps for hearing allegations of land grab against Trinamul leaders in Sandeshkhali.