Kolkata: A recent development in the Sandeshkhali incident has stirred up the political landscape, with the emergence of a controversial ‘sting video’ sparking intense debates and allegations between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The controversy erupted when the TMC claimed that a ‘sting video’ had exposed the BJP’s efforts to tarnish their reputation regarding the Sandeshkhali incident. Gangadhar Kayl, a purported BJP figure in the video, swiftly responded by lodging a complaint with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alleging manipulation through Artificial Intelligence (AI).
According to reports, the video allegedly features the BJP leader conceding that there were no instances of rape or sexual harassment and that women were coerced into filing such complaints under the instructions of senior party member Suvendu Adhikari.
In his complaint, Mr. Kayl argued that his facial features and voice were manipulated using AI technology to fabricate the video with the intent to deceive the public and disrupt ongoing investigations.
He also accused TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee of masterminding the conspiracy to shield the actual perpetrators of the Sandeshkhali incident. Mr. Kayl pointed out inconsistencies in the video, including discrepancies between audio and video, obscured facial features, and poor audio quality, suggesting deliberate tampering.
Amidst these developments, the BJP leader from Sandeshkhali urged the CBI to conduct a thorough investigation into the authenticity of the video footage.
The emergence of this video coincides with allegations against West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, who had criticized the state government’s handling of the Sandeshkhali allegations and was subsequently accused of sexual harassment by a temporary employee of the Raj Bhavan.
The Sandeshkhali incident involved allegations by women in the area who claimed they were subjected to rape and sexual harassment by TMC figure Shahjahan and his associates. This led to widespread protests by the Bengal BJP and escalated into a significant national political issue ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also criticized the Trinamool Congress and Ms. Banerjee, accusing them of shielding the accused leader, who was eventually arrested in February after evading authorities for over 50 days.
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