May 11, 2014
CPI(M) Polit Bureau Member, Brinda Karat, met Santana Mondol at the Walsh Hospital in Hooghly today. 35 year old Santana Mondol, is a dalit woman agricultural worker who suffered grievous injuries on May 6 when she was attacked by goons owing allegiance to the ruling Trinamul Congress. They slashed her left breast with a sharp dagger inflicting deep wounds. Brinda was accompanied by Bonani Biswas and Minati Sen, leaders of the AIDWA.
Lying on her hospital bed, still in pain, she said “I am not afraid.” “Why should I be afraid of anyone? When my husband deserted us fourteen years ago people asked me what will you do, you have two daughters, I told them, I am not afraid I will work and bring them up. I have brought up my two daughters single-handedly, employed as an agricultural worker. I am not dependent on anyone. My sister and I work so that our families can live. We don't have to bow before anyone.”
She said “I knew we would face trouble if we did not vote for the TMC. The TMC men came and threatened us before the elections on April 30. I asked them, what will you do? You will burn my house, I will sleep in the open. What will you do? You will kill us all, but how many will you kill, there are still many more who will hold the flag.”
The TMC men retreated that day. But they got enraged when on the day of the elections they found that in spite of their threats, her nephew was a polling agent of the CPI(M).
A few days later in the evening at around 7.00 p.m when Santana stepped out of her home the TMC goons gagged her, dragged her to a deserted place and attacked her with a knife trying to cut off her breast, inflicting three deep wounds. Her family and neighbors rushed her to the hospital.
Even four days after the dreadful attack, the men she boldly identified as the perpetrators have not been arrested as they all belong to the ruling TMC.
Apart from the concerned authorities in West Bengal, the National Human Rights Commission and the Scheduled Castes Commission are also being approached, to take appropriate action.
Santana Mondol is a symbol of the immense personal courage being displayed by women supporters of the CPI(M) throughout West Bengal in the face of the dastardly and inhuman assaults on them by the goonda vahinis of the Trinamool Congress. Santana remains strong, committed and courageous. She said “don’t worry about me, I know the days are coming when this TMC Goonda raj will end”.
Santana Mandol, Lal Salaam
May 10, 2014
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