PM Modi peddling lies on Sandeshkhali, alleges Mamata

Claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was continuing to “peddle lies” about Sandeshkhali, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday questioned why he was maintaining a stoic silence on the allegations of molestation against Governor CV Ananda Bose and not asking him to resign.

Addressing an election rally in North 24-Parganas’ Amdanga, which is a part of the Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency which Modi had visited earlier in the day, Banerjee said: “The Prime Minister should be ashamed that the BJP’s conspiracy about Sandeshkhali has become public”.

The Chief Minister’s comments were in reference to a purported viral video where a local BJP leader is seen claiming that more than 70 women were paid Rs 2,000 each to participate in protests against the Trinamool Congress strongman Shahjahan Sheikh, who faces accusations of sexual assault and land grab.

In another clip, the man resembling BJP’s Sandeshkhali mandal president Gangadhar Kayal states that the “staged protests were orchestrated by Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who was behind the ‘whole conspiracy”.

Mamata Banerjee accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of remaining silent on the molestation allegations against West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose and questioned the Prime Minister why he did not ask for his resignation.

Banerjee said the Centre’s inaction against the Governor, who is accused of molestation by a young Raj Bhavan staffer, showed the BJP’s “true anti-woman character”.

“The Prime Minister stayed the night in the Raj Bhavan. Why did he not ask the Governor to resign when he is facing such a serious charge from a young, innocent girl?” she asked.