We Salute your Courage.... Smt. Swapna Dey of Santragachi

আমরা আপনাকে আমাদের শ্রদ্ধা ও প্রনাম জানাই। আপনার ঢ্রিরতা ও সাহস এর সমক্ষ আমরা নতমস্তক এবং আনুপ্রানিত।          

 

Please accept our humble respect. We are honoured and made proud by your dauntless courage and determination. We remain indebted for your inspiration...And Look upon you as a role model in the league of valiant men and women, who can rid us of our cowardice that has become synonymous to our race to the point of a legend in these turbulent times...!!!

The Telegraph

Kolkata

Wednesday 14 September,2011

A 45-year-old woman was kicked and hit with iron rods and her daughter’s dress ripped open in public for daring to lead a campaign that got the owner of a hooch den next door arrested.

Swapna Dey, a resident of the railway quarters near Santragachhi station, is in a Howrah hospital with multiple injuries to show for her spunk. Daughter Moumita, 25, is in shock and scared for her family.

                                                                                                          

The reprisal came on Monday evening within hours of the accused, 55-year-old Sheikh Ansar Ali, and his lackey, “Garage” Bapi, being granted bail. Neither participated in the assault, but Ansar’s younger son allegedly made sure the manner of revenge pleased his father.

Ansar’s arrest was the outcome of a crusade by Swapna, her daughter and other women of the railway colony. The group had organised a signature campaign after repeated police complaints failed to elicit a response.

Swapna was apparently targeted because of her letter to Howrah police commissioner Ajey Ranade on September 4 and a visit to minister Roy.

Deputy commissioner of excise R.N. Ghosh said hooch was hard to eliminate. “We conduct raids 20 days a month and destroy at least five dens a day, but they spring right back. Those who run these places have political connections.”

 (excerpts only)

Ask For Help and get Slapped !! This is Bengal !!! ooops PaschimBanga.

The Telegraph

12th September' 2011

Kolkata

Slap for seeking cop’s help

A STAFF REPORTER

Ask for assistance from a Calcutta cop and you could get the cold shoulder, demand and you might get a slap.

A 37-year-old man seeking police intervention after a pickup van rammed into his car from behind on Friday night was allegedly assaulted by a cop in plainclothes and later advised by a seemingly more sympathetic officer to “privately sort it out” with the accused. 

Pharmaceutical company executive Rajib Saha, 37, wife Kakoli, five-and-half year old son Abhinandan and a friend were headed for a hotel off the EM Bypass in a silver-coloured Maruti 800 around 11pm when they were stopped by a man in red T-shirt and black trousers on Dhakuria bridge.

 

Rajib immediately got off his car to complain to the policemen gathered on the bridge about the damage to the Maruti 800, but they allegedly didn’t even turn to look at him. “Irritated as I was, I wondered aloud whether it wasn’t the police’s duty to give a citizen in distress a hearing. A man in a checked shirt suddenly grabbed me by the collar and started pushing and slapping me. He was a tall, stout and foul-mouthed man in his forties,” he said.

The man then allegedly dragged Rajib to the other flank of the bridge and ordered him to get into his car and leave. “Chol, bero ekhan theke…bhir baras na (Come on, get out of here now… don’t create a scene),” he said.

Kakoli, who had by then run to her husband’s side, pleaded with an officer in uniform to intervene. “Toke help korbo keno? Tui police na VIP? Chup-chaap chole ja. (Why should I help you? Who are you — police or VIP? Quietly leave),” ordered the officer, whose uniform badge bore the name “Surojit Bhattacharjee”.

According to Rajib, the group included the man in the checked shirt as well the one who had stopped his car. “I was now convinced that the duo were cops in plainclothes. The moment they set foot in the police station, they started abusing us,” he alleged.

“Tora aabar ekhane-o eshechis? Aamar naam-e complain korbi bhebechis? Ja khushi kor, aamar transfer ba suspension hobe! Kintu toke aami chharbo na (You have come here, too? You are planning to lodge a complaint against me? Do what you want. I will be transferred or suspended at the most. But I won’t spare you),” the man in the checked shirt allegedly said, glaring at Kakoli.

(only excerpts)

Let this be a call to every self respecting Bengali:

Come out on the streets; stand up for yourself, for your children

March down the streets of Kolkata; cry hard against destruction of Bengali land and language, and Bengali itself.

Stand up to the traitors of Bengal; stand up to all outsiders who have made Bengal their hovel;

Join a walking Protest, wake up all those who are sleeping; sleeping against their annihilation....