Human Rights of Hindu women ruined in Bengal, unmistakably, increasingly

Contrary to the belief of human rights activists, Hindus are being persecuted in the Indian state of West Bengal with time and it’s needless to say, Hindu women are worst sufferers. Ashtami Ray, pregnant lady and also inhabitant of villageRamchandrapur, P.S. Bongaon, Dist: 24 Paraganas (North) is the latest victim. Her husband Amit Ray, in spite of being an innocent individual, was beaten mercilessly by police personnel, dragged to the police van, on June 03, 2011 and is languishing in jail still. Meticulous investigations subsequently have discerned that the reigning administration is considering Hindus, across Bengal, as greatest adversary and how harrowing the situation for Hindus is.

What led to all these is the bid of violation of a Hindu housewife named Shefali Tarafdar, aged 27, wife of Nepal Tarafdar, daily laborer and also an old inhabitant of Ramchandrapur, at 11 am on June 02, 2011 by a Muslim miscreant, Huzur Ali. Huzur, aged 40 and son of Siddique Ali, lives in the neighboring village of Bhire (inhabited by at least 500 Muslim households). Without a doubt utter failure of the police to handle the situation timely deteriorated the situation.

Witnessing dearth of seriousness in police and administration to nab Huzur, local Hindus (in protest) barricaded Ramchandrapur’s bordering main thoroughfare peacefully on June 02, 2011. But the police did not act swiftly even after this. Tension continued and in the evening of June 03, 2011 around 5.30 pm, police cracked down agitators to halt the peaceful protest. During the fracas a few policemen got injured and to avenge this police started repressing the entire village from that night.

Not the whole village got scared stiff only but all males (277 Hindu households inhabit Ramchandrapur altogether) fled also to steer clear of police repression. However, several innocent persons were tortured, incriminated and also taken into custody; Amit Ray is one of those.

On the very day (June 03, 2011), Amit Kr. Roy returned to the village around 8.30 pm only and hence, he was totally naive of the incident. Where was he then? He was in his father-in-law’s residence in village Manimela, P.S. Habra all over the day. He had been accompanying his aunt to bargain for a land (of 4 cottah) in the same area.

Since Amit’s parents were in Madhyamgram, Ashtami was all alone in the house of Ramchandrapur. Amit was not ready to keep her pregnant wife alone and accordingly, he returned in the aforementioned time.

Police crackdown started around 9 pm and as his house is near to the blockaded street, Amit was one of the first victims. His house was completely vandalized by policemen and in spite of lots of pleas, the couple was beaten. Police did not heed Ashtami’s humble prayers, manhandled her as well. It must be mentioned, there was no policewoman/ police matron in the group; a complete breach indeed.

In spite of all these, Ashtami made lots of desperate efforts to save her husband and even ran to the access road that was blocked. Police vans were standing there only then. When on earth Amit was being forcibly dragged to the van, Ashtami pleaded to police personnel with folded hands. At that time her stomach was brutally kicked by policemen and she got unconscious as a result.

There was no one left in house; neighbors phoned her parents and once they reached Ramchandrapur, Ashtami was taken to nearby Bongaon Hospital and was admitted there at 12.45 am. Hospital was in an atrocious condition and this became clear when she had to share bed with two other women patients. 3 patients were sharing 2 beds altogether! In the hospital, neither Ashtami was provided any medicine nor did any doctor care to visit such a critical patient.

Ashtami (her bed no. was 187) was released on the next day at 11 pm and, thanks to her father’s drastic efforts, was brought to Shantiniketan Nursing Home in Habra. She, at this point in time, is undergoing treatment and Dr. U.B. Thakur is looking after her. Utrasonogrpahy (USG) reports confirm that the position of her baby, owing to policeman’s brutal kick, has changed outright.

Where is Shefali Tarafdar then? Shefali Tarafdar, fearing hostile police and administration and Muslim goons, has left the village along with her husband. Their residence remains abandoned yet.

All these incidents portray extreme human rights violations, especially of Hindu women. Will human rights activists in Bengal wake up from their decade-old slumber and side with these hapless women?