New Delhi:

The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Friday said it has initiated legal action against Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra for her remarks against its chairperson Rekha Sharma.

This came a day after the TMC, commenting on a video posted on X showing the NCW chairperson’s arrival at the site of a stampede that recently took place in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras, wrote, “She is too busy holding up her boss’s pajamas”.

The NCW in a statement said that a formal complaint has been filed with the Delhi Police and a letter has been sent to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at the Parliament stating that Ms Moitra’s remarks are condemnable in strongest possible words and being a Member of Parliament, it is unbecoming of her stature.

Reacting to the same, Ms Moitra took a jibe at the NCW and posted on X, “Come on @DelhiPolice please take action immediately on these suo moto orders. Am in Nadia in case you need me in the next 3 days to make a quick arrest. I Can Hold My Own Umbrella”.

In the letter to Mr Birla, the NCW has urged the speaker of the Lok Sabha to look into the matter and take appropriate action against Ms Moitra.

“These crude remarks are not only outrageous but also a severe violation of a woman’s right to dignity,” the NCW said.

While in the letter to the Delhi police, the NCW said upon careful consideration, the Commission said it has has determined that Ms Moitra’s remarks fall under Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023.

The NCW demanded registration of FIR against Ms Moitra. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara has asked the National Commission for Women (NCW) to share information with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) regarding the woman who is receiving threats for filing a complaint against prime accused Prajwal Revanna in a sex scandal.

“We don’t know who the person is. All questions will be answered by the SIT. If there are complaints or disturbances let the NCW talk to the SIT. The NCW can inform SIT, like how the State Commission for Women wrote to the government. The SIT authorities will initiate appropriate measures,” Mr Parameshwara told media persons.

When asked about when the SIT will track down Prajwal Revanna, the Karnataka Home Minister said, “We have appealed to the CBI to request the Interpol and other agencies to issue the Blue Corner notice. That is being done now. We have to wait regarding the information about Prajwal Revanna and in which country he is residing.”

He said that former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has been casting aspersions on the SIT probe from day one. The SIT is competent and it will come out with the truth, he added.

The NCW has directed the Karnataka Police to ensure the security of the complainant who is being threatened.

On Thursday, the NCW said that one of the woman complainants in the case had claimed that she was forced by a group of people to lodge a false complaint after being threatened with harassment.

“One woman complainant came to the Commission to register a complaint against three individuals dressed in civil uniform, allegedly introducing themselves as Karnataka Police officials and forcing her to give a false complaint,” the NCW said.

The complainant has sought protection for her family, underscoring the seriousness of the situation, the NCW said, adding that it has asked Karnataka DGP Alok Mohan to provide appropriate security to the woman.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata/New Delhi:

On a day the Trinamool Congress accused National Commission for Women Chairperson Rekha Sharma of “abusing her authority and being involved in a conspiracy” in Sandeshkhali, where women have claimed they were deceived by the BJP into filing sexual assault complaints against TMC leaders, the women’s panel asserted that the women were coerced into retracting their complaints.

Stating the party intended to move the Election Commission against Ms Sharma, West Bengal Minister and TMC Spokesperson Shashi Panja on Friday alleged that the NCW chairperson acted on “political bias” over the allegations and “encouraged women of the area to level false allegations of sexual atrocities.”

Later in the day, the NCW in a letter to the poll panel claimed that women from the riverine area were being “compelled” to withdraw their complaints by TMC workers given the ongoing Lok Sabha polls and sought an inquiry from the Election Commission in the matter.

“It has come to the notice of the Commission that the women of Sandeshkhali are being compelled to withdraw their complaints by TMC workers as they are the ruling party in West Bengal,” the women’s panel said.

National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma, after visiting Sandeshkali in February, had recommended to President Droupadi Murmu that President’s Rule be imposed in West Bengal over alleged atrocities on women and violence in Sandeshkhali.

Multiple purported videos of Sandeshkhali women shared by the TMC on Thursday claimed that a local saffron party leader made those women sign on blank papers which were later filled up as complaints of sexual assault.

The women in those purported videos claimed they were asked by local BJP worker Piyali Das to appear in person at the local police station and relate their ordeal before the NCW team which had visited Sandeshkhali to take stock of the situation.

The women later alleged that they never intended to lodge sexual assault complaints but were surprised to find such complaints filed in their names allegedly in the wake of the blank papers they were made to sign by Ms Das.

Based on a complaint, police have filed a First Information Report against Mr Das for coercing the women to “file false complaints”.

The TMC spokesperson claimed that the BJP was trying to create an “ecosystem” over allegations of atrocities in Sandeshkhali and that it was attempting to use various organisations for the purpose.

She alleged that although the BJP central leadership was regularly visiting West Bengal for poll campaigns, they have stopped talking about Sandeshkhali in the wake of the fresh developments from the ground.

“It is shameful that NCW has turned into BJP’s commission. We had heard about the Pulwama conspiracy in 2019, and now we are witnessing how the BJP hatches a conspiracy to malign us and the people of the state,” TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee said.

The rights panel requested the poll body to ensure that women are not compelled to withdraw their complaints due to threat from TMC workers.

The Commission requested the EC to look into the matter on priority and ensure that women are not compelled to withdraw their complaints due to the threat from TMC workers.

“The TMC party workers are instilling fear among the women of Sandeshkhali to suppress the victims from coming forward with their complaints potentially impacting the fairness of the election process in the area,” the NCW claimed.

Since last Saturday, three videos have been released by a portal, with the first one showing a man, who claimed to be a BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali, saying that the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, was behind the “whole conspiracy”.

The second video showed women, who had earlier filed rape complaints, claiming that they were made to sign a blank paper by the BJP leaders and coerced to go to the police station.

The third video showed the BJP candidate from Basirhat constituency and Sandeshkhali protestor Rekha Patra claiming that she “doesn’t know the rape survivors who were taken to Delhi to meet the President”. Reacting to the TMC’s claim, the BJP dubbed it baseless and accused them of circulating “fake videos”.

“The TMC is using fake videos to change the narrative ahead of the polls. The TMC has the least regard for NCW or the dignity of the women of Sandeshkhali. All the videos released are fake and doctored,” BJP State Spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.

The riverine Sandeshkhali area — situated on the borders of the Sundarbans, about 100 kilometres from Kolkata — had been on the boil in February with protests over allegations of sexual abuse and land grab against now arrested and suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)