PM Modi calls Sandeshkhali victim, BJP's Basirhat pick Rekha Patra: Know what they discussed

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called BJP candidate from Basirhat Rekha Patra, one of the victims of sexual assault allegedly perpetrated by the now-suspended TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, on Sunday, released its fifth list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, announcing Patra’s candidature from Basirhat.

Patra will be up against TMC’s Haji Nurul Islam after the current MP Nusrat Jahan was dropped.

What did PM Modi and Patra discuss?

In a telephone conversation between the two, Patra described the ordeal of women in Sandeshkhali at the hands of Trinamool Congress leaders, adding that residents of the village have not been able to cast their vote since 2011.

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#LISTEN | The conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rekha Patra, a BJP candidate from Basirhat and one of the Sandeshkhali victims.

She says, "...The situation in Sandeshkhali has been a matter of concern since 2011. If we were allowed to vote freely then this… pic.twitter.com/Y4KB7k1OKE

— ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2024

To this Modi said, “It is unfortunate that people of Sandeshkhali have not been able to vote for so long. I am sure the Election Commission of India will take steps in the upcoming polls to make sure free and fair elections are conducted in the region.”

The prime minister heaped praises on Patra for saying that she will fight for justice even for t those who have been opposing her.

He spoke to her about her campaign preparations and support among people for the BJP.

PM Modi also expressed confidence in Patra’s victory in the constituency, calling her “Shakti Swaroopa.”

Notably, Modi had also met Patra during one of his rallies in West Bengal during the thick of Sandeshkhali violence.

Who is Rekha Patra?

Patra, a resident of Patra Para in Sandeshkhali, was one of the vocal protestors who exposed Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides over sexual assault and land grabbing.

She had written a complaint against the two confidants of Sheikh Shahjahan, Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar, leading to their arrests in February.

Described as the face of the Sandeshkhali protests, Patra had been allegedly threatened by local goons as well as the police for raising her voice against the culprits.