"My Body Shakes When I Talk About Sandeshkhali," Says Nirmala Sitharaman

The sheer audacity of the state government in not arresting the culprit till today, she said.

Kolkata:

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday highlighted several economic indicators to mark the “decline” of West Bengal and touched upon the recent unrest at Sandeshkhali saying it is the “sheer audacity” of the state government not to arrest the culprit till today.

Addressing people at the National Library in West Bengal on Tuesday, the Finance Minister said that West Bengal ranks near the bottom on several policies, judicial and law and order parameters.

“My body shakes when I talk about Sandeshkhali and the sheer audacity of the state government in not arresting the culprit till today. Can there be a leader, male or female, who can bear with this? They did not arrest. I remember how many times they raised the issue of Manipur and the Union Home Minister had to come and respond to that,” she added.

Referring to recent remarks by the Trinamool Congress leadership that the prime accused in the Sandeshkhali issue, Sheikh Shahjahan, will be arrested in seven days, the Finance Minister said, TMC ministers are going to Sandeshkhali but no one else is allowed.

“This makes it clear that you are aware of where he (Sheikh Shahjahan) is. How can you otherwise say that you will arrest him in a week? Your ministers are going there and no one else is allowed. What kind of law and order is it,” she said.

She said that according to the India Justice Report, West Bengal ranks near the bottom on several policing, judicial and law and order parameters.

“In January 2024, ED officials were attacked by a mob of 800-1000 people and sustained serious injuries when they went to search the house of TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh in the Sandeshkhali. In the 2023 West Bengal panchayat elections, 40 people died. They shed crocodile tears while talking about the democracy of institutions and accuse us of killing democracy in institutions. In June 2023, Union Minister Nisith Pramanik’s convoy was attacked in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district, and in May 2021, the convoy of Union Minister V Muraleedharan was attacked. Even BJP President Nadda ji’s car was attacked in West Bengal,” she added.

The Finance Minister further asserted that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself, in June 2019 ordered returning the cut money that was taken since 2011.

“I don’t need to say anything about corruption in Bengal. You all know everything already. CM Mamata Banerjee herself, in June 2019 ordered returning the cut money that had been taken since 2011… In July 2022, state industry minister Partha Chatterjee was arrested… In October 2023, the state Forest Minister was arrested in a multi-crore ration distribution scam… In April 2023, a joint inspection by the officials of the union and Bengal government revealed that the state government over reported 160 million mid-day meal schemes,” she said.

Ms Sitharaman further said that factors that are driving the industry out of Bengal are power shortage and absolutely poor law and order situation.

“Factors which are driving the industry out of Bengal are a power shortage, absolutely poor law and order situation, uncontrolled trade unionism, no ease of doing business, and the nexus of corruption and syndicated crimes are paralyzing the state. Cut money is being taken as a sovereign right. People are asking for help, but there is not one police officer who has the spine to go and say you will not do this in the state. I won’t blame the police, after all, they are party cadres. Some good policemen cannot individually do the good work,” she said.

A large number of women in Sandeshkhali have accused Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of “land-grab and sexual assault.”. 

Shahjahan continues to evade arrest, with both state police and central agencies unable to trace him.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)