West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Thursday that she will preside over a public distribution program in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district on December 30. This will be Chief Minister Mamata's first visit to this island bordering Sundarbans, as the area witnessed massive protests earlier this year over alleged land grabbing and sexual harassment of women by local TMC leaders.

CM will attend public distribution program
The CM told reporters at the state secretariat Nabanna, "I will go to Sandeshkhali on December 30 to preside over the public distribution program. People had asked me before the elections whether I would go to Sandeshkhali or not. I told them that I would go later". The CM further said, "This will be a government program. We have completed many pending programs under 'Lakshmi Bhandar', 'Banglar Bari' and other schemes. Around 20,000 beneficiaries of the area will be benefited from several state-run schemes. I hope to hand over certificates of several schemes to around 100 people from the stage'.

CM will also review preparations for Ganga Sagar Mela

Mamata Banerjee said she will hold an administrative review meeting at Nabanna on January 2 next year and will leave for Sagar Island on January 6 to review preparations for the annual Ganga Sagar Mela. On her return, she will inaugurate the 'e-pot' of the state transport department in Kolkata's Babughat area on January 8. The CM had earlier said she would visit Sandeshkhali only after winning the Lok Sabha elections.

There was a massive protest in Sandeshkhali in January

In January this year, ED officials were attacked and their vehicles were damaged when they went to raid the residence of local TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali in connection with a ration distribution scam worth crores of rupees. Following this, several women in the area claimed that Shahjahan and his men had encroached large tracts of land and sexually assaulted them.

Allegations and counter-allegations followed

Following these allegations, the opposition camp in the state intensified its demand for the immediate arrest of Shahjahan and his men. The BJP, CPI(M) and Congress alleged that the ruling Trinamool Congress administration was 'protecting' Shahjahan and his men, while some Trinamool Congress leaders claimed that false allegations were being levelled against Shahjahan by opposition parties who had joined hands for the Lok Sabha elections. On this, CM Mamata Banerjee had said that the incident was 'staged' in Sandeshkhali and accused the BJP, ED and the media of 'scripting' it. However, the Trinamool Congress suspended Shahjahan, who was arrested after contesting the elections for 55 days.