Kolkata: A video that went viral on social media where BJP’s Sandeshkhali II mandal president Gangadhar Koyal was seen claiming that the entire Sandeshkhali incident was a conspiracy hatched by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari and not a single incident of rape had taken place there.
A few women in Sandeshkhali, including BJP’s Basirhat Lok Sabha candidate Rekha Patra, who had spearheaded the agitation were all given Rs 2,000 each by Adhikari for making false statements, Koyal claimed. Millennium Post, however, has not verified the authenticity of the video.
The incident has created a sensation ahead of the third phase election scheduled on May 7.
In the purported video, Koyal was heard saying that Adhikari, ‘...is behind the whole conspiracy”.
Koyal alleged that Adhikari had asked him and other BJP leaders of the area to “instigate three-four local women to level allegations of rape against three Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, including Shajahan Sheikh”.
Opposition leader Adhikari in his reaction to the viral video, from Nadia, alleged that it was scripted by the TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, his consultancy agency and a journalist.
Moreover, the BJP demanded a CBI inquiry into the viral video incident.
In a parallel development, Koyal on Saturday wrote a letter to the CBI demanding an inquiry. He alleged that his voice was tampered with in the video.
Trinamool claimed that BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari orchestrated the ‘Sandeshkhali conspiracy’ only to defame Bengal.
In the viral video, Koyal was also heard saying that Rekha Patra who later became a BJP candidate in Sandeshkhali made false depositions.
Adhikari used to send his “men” to provide logistic support and money to carry out the conspiracy, Koyal stated in the video.
In the 32-minute viral video, Koyal was seen saying: “What was the level of conspiracy where no incidents of rape happened but it was turned into rape incidents. Suvendu Da (elder brother in Bengali) had said that unless the big leaders of the TMC in the Sandeshkhali area are arrested, the BJP will not be able to stand in front of the ruling party in the state.”
He continued: “I was asked to carry out this and convince the women to make false allegations of rape. Suvendu Da used to control everything and he used to send his PA (Pijush). Pijush used to roam in Sandeshkhali with Subhankar Giri who is BJP convenor in Nejjat.”
Koyal was also heard saying: “Suvendu used to send money and mobile phones. I was assigned to carry out the job. Suvendu had said that if the Sandeshkhali incident is to keep alive this conspiracy has to be conducted. I was given instruction to carry out his instructions. I used to do what they used to tell me. Subhankar Da used to control everything here in Sandeshkhali and carried out brainwashing on women.”
In reply to a question in the video, Koyal said: “Women did not say no to make false statemnets of rapes. They also carried out what they were asked. It was said that if Trinamool leaders are not arrested they would not let people live there. Three women whom I asked refused to make false statements. They were scared. One Jaba Sinha, a local resident was briefed to make false statements but she was scared in front of the ST Commission’s head who visited the area for the probe.”
In reply to question, Koyal also claimed that it was claimed that the false rape incidents occurred 7 to 8 months ago and hence no medical tests could have been carried on the claimed victims.
He also claimed in the video that under his mandal area around 10 to 15 women were arranged to carry out Sandeshkhali movement.
He also claimed that Jaba Sinha received money along with Rekha. Each woman was given Rs 2,000. Koyal also made a startling revelation in the video saying that RSS and Hindu organizations have taken credit.
Trinamool Congress claimed that the local BJP leader was also heard saying that “Adhikari himself had planted guns at a house in Sandeshkhali, which was later shown as the seizure by central agencies”. In a post titled ‘Big expose on Sandeshkhali’ on X, the ruling TMC said, Adhikari created a “false narrative of mass rapes by paying money to local people to defame Bengal and Sandeshkhli”. The party also alleged that the “viral video exposed how the BJP left no stone unturned to malign Bengal. From ‘mass rape’ to ‘arms seizure’, every claim was bought and staged by none other than @SuvenduWB”.
“The cat is out of the bag. Sinister plot of Modi-Shah, central agencies and their allies stand exposed,” the TMC said, apparently referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.