PM Modi hails Sandeshkhali survivor Rekha Patra, calls her ‘Shakti Swaroopa’

Rekha Patra, one of the alleged victims of sexual harassment and the face of protests in Sandeshkhali against alleged atrocities by the Trinamool Congress leaders and henchmen, on Tuesday spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominted her for the Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency. Rekha will contest Lok Sabha election 2024 from Basirhat seat, which has Sandeshkhali block and village under it.

Prime Minister Modi spoke with Rekha about her election preparations. During his phone chat with Rekha Patra, the Prime Minister referred to her as an embodiment of Shakti and inquired about the general sentiment of the voters in the constituency. She informed the Prime Minister of the hardships faced by area, who claim that Trinamool Congress politicians had harassed them.

The claims of land grab, extortion, and sexual harassment against Trinamool leaders by the people of Sandeshkhali have become a major discussion point ahead of the next Lok Sabha election.

A further allusion to the Shakti argument between the BJP and the INDIA coalition is the Prime Minister’s designation of Rekha Patra as ‘Shakti Swaroopa’.

A few days back, the Prime Minister responded to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s statement that the Opposition is up against the “shakti” (power) of the State by stating that the INDIA coalition seeks to destroy Shakti, who is revered in many regions of India.

The counterstrike by the Prime Minister made reference to Shaktism, a goddess-centered Hindu tradition that is practiced throughout the nation, particularly in Bengal.