Lagatar24 Desk
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has raised concerns over the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) handling of the rape and murder case of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. During an event marking the foundation day of the Trinamool Congress’s students’ wing, Banerjee questioned the progress of the investigation and asked, “Where is justice?”
Banerjee revealed that she met with the victim’s parents just two days after the tragic incident and had requested five days to address the situation. However, the case was quickly transferred to the CBI. “They don’t want justice; they want delay. It has been 16 days, where is justice?” the Chief Minister asked pointedly. She further announced that the state government would convene an Assembly session to introduce a Bill advocating for the death penalty for rapists.
The Trinamool Congress leader also criticized the BJP over the recent protest march to the state secretariat, Nabanna, which resulted in chaotic scenes on Kolkata’s streets. While organizers claimed the march was led by student organizations, Banerjee accused the BJP and ABVP of conspiring to create unrest. The police detained over 200 people during the protest, using teargas, water cannons, and batons to disperse the crowd. In response, the BJP called for a 12-hour bandh to protest the police’s actions.
“BJP has called a bandh because they want dead bodies. We want justice and death by hanging for the accused. They [BJP] have moved away from the goal of demanding justice for the victim. Now they are defaming Bengal. The BJP is shameless. They are indulging in a conspiracy,” Banerjee asserted.
Despite the tense situation, Banerjee praised the city police for their restraint during the protests. “I want to salute the police that despite coming under attack, they did not fall into the trap and prevented deaths,” she stated.
At the same event, Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who is also Mamata Banerjee’s nephew, emphasized the need for stronger anti-rape laws. He suggested that the party would introduce a private members’ Bill for an anti-rape law if the central government does not take prompt action. “An unfortunate incident has happened, and the entire country is demanding justice, but some people are playing dead body politics over it. They are responsible for cases in Unnao, Hathras, Kathua, and Badlapur. There should be a time-bound trial and convictions in rape cases, and this should be set in law,” Abhishek Banerjee said.
He also questioned why the CBI had not yet arrested Dr. Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College, who has faced scrutiny over his handling of the case and corruption allegations.
In response to the Trinamool Congress’s demands for tougher laws on women’s safety, Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi criticized the Bengal government for failing to implement central schemes aimed at addressing crimes against women. “It is ironic that Bengal is the only state in the country with a woman chief minister, and still the situation of women there is deteriorating,” the minister remarked.
“There are states like West Bengal where we are trying to get central government schemes implemented, but it is not happening. There are central government schemes, such as fast track special courts and POCSO courts, that have been established to deal with crimes against women and children, but the state is lagging behind in it,” she added.
