Mithun Chakraborty said parties must transcend differences to address atrocities (File)
Veteran actor and BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty lashed out at the Mamata Banerjee-led Bengal government over the Sandeshkhali incident and said political parties need to transcend differences to address atrocities.
"There couldn't be a more disgusting thing than this. With women, you're playing such games? This is unbelievable. We all do politics, but this is beyond politics. This shouldn't happen. We all have the responsibility to raise our voices and make sure that they don't have to suffer this," Mr Chakraborty said.
The politician-actor, during his visit to Kolkata, met Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar and highlighted the gravity of the situation.
BJP MP and member of the delegation, who visited Sandeshkhali, Brij Lal said, "This is Mamta Banerjee's dictatorship. There are two central ministers and four MPs here. There are five women. Despite that, we are being stopped. Mamata Banerjee does not want us to visit Sandeshkhali. It is a clear symbol of the atrocities happening in Bengal, and Mamta Didi's high-handedness. It is very saddening."
Women in Sandeshkhali have been up in arms over the last few days over alleged atrocities against them. The BJP formed a six-member committee of Union Ministers and MPs, who have been tasked with visiting Sandeshkhali and gathering facts on the alleged incidents of sexual harassment and violence against women.
They were directed to visit the incident site, take stock of the situation, talk to those affected, and submit their report to BJP national president JP Nadda.
Earlier in the day, a six-member BJP delegation constituted by Mr Nadda to visit Sandeshkhali was stopped by the Bengal police.
The team included party leaders Annapurna Devi, Pratima Bhowmik, Sunita Duggal, Kavita Patidar, Sangeeta Yadav, and Brij Lal. BJP leader Agnimitra Paul accompanied the delegation to Sandeshkhali.
"We are folding our hands in front of you (the police). Please let us meet the women. We feel like the local police are also involved in atrocities against these women. Let us go. We want to go. The way the police are stopping us, they have no right. The team has come, and their sole purpose is to meet the affected families, especially the women and daughters. We want to meet them and assure them. The police cannot stop us from meeting anyone," a member of the delegation said as the police surrounded them.
Meanwhile, Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "We will try to go (to Sandeshkhali). It is our right. Whatever the BJP is saying doesn't matter to us. We will go."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)