Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee visited Sonali Khatun, the woman from Birbhum who was pushed into Bangladesh, despite being an Indian citizen. Khatun was brought back to India following a judicial directive and has recently given birth to a child.
Banerjee went to visit the mother after his campaign rally for the 'Jotoi Koro Hamla - Jitbe Abar Bangla' program in Ramphurhat, Birbhum. He spoke with members of the media outside the Rampurhat Medical College.
What did Abhishek Banerjee say?
"You have seen that the whole family had to suffer. I was supposed to meet her (Sonali Khatun), but I had told her that I would go there to meet you. She gave birth yesterday," Abhishek Banerjee said.
He added, "We heard how Sonali and her family were harassed. First, the Delhi Police, then the BSF, forcefully pushed them into Bangladesh. A pregnant woman was beaten up mercilessly. She was both physically and mentally tortured. They had to spend multiple nights in the woods, had to cross waterbodies - she told me everything."
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The MP further said, "Bangladesh police arrested them when they reached Dhaka, and had to spend months in Bangladeshi prisons. The courts got her back, but her husband, Danish Sheikh, is still in Bangladesh."
Abhishek said that not only Sonali, but her child also had to go through this torture, and BJP will have to face the consequences. "Her only crime was that she spoke Bengali. Her family member's names are present in the 2002 electoral rolls," he said.
Abhishek Banerjee named Sonali's child during his visit. "Sonali and her mother requested me to name the child. The child has been named 'Apon' (Own), because they were other-ed and sent to Bangladesh," Banerjee said.
Banerjee said that the case regarding Sonali Khatun's husband was heard in the Supreme Court today, and the Union government has asked for more time and the case will be heard again on January 19. Abbhishek said that the Trinamool Congress will provide the family with legal aid and get Khatun's husband back to India as soon as possible.
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Abhishek Banerjee also raised the issue of an SIR hearing notice being served to Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen. "What more do you expect from them?" Banerjee reacted. The Trinamool Congress leader went on to visit the Tarapith Kali Temple after the hospital visit.
