Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of conspiracy in the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, and announced plans for a bill imposing capital punishment for rapists within seven days of the crime.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said her party (Trinamool Congress) will pass a bill on anti-rape laws, enabling capital punishment for the accused.
The Chief Minister’s statement came against the backdrop of the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
“We will pass a bill on anti-rape laws, that would secure capital punishment for the rapist within seven days of the crime,” Mamata Banerjee said.
Also warning of a protest, the Chief Minister said, “Next week, we will call an Assembly session and pass the Bill within 10 days. We will send this Bill to the Governor (CV Ananda Bose). If he doesn’t pass, we will sit outside Raj Bhavan. This Bill must be passed and he cannot evade accountability this time.”
Speaking at an event on the occasion of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) Foundation Day in the city, and sharing the stage with her nephew and Trinamool Congress General Secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata also alleged conspiracy by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Kolkata doctor’s death case and said the party was trying to defame West Bengal.
“The BJP is trying to defame Bengal and is doing dirty politics over the death of the trainee doctor,” she alleged.
Referring to the 12-hour Bengal Bandh call given by the BJP on Wednesday, the Chief Minister said the saffron party was resorting to vandalism and that its workers were attacking the police.
“The Trinamool Congress does not believe in politics of bandh, while the BJP has deliberately called upon it,” she said.
“Have the chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan resigned over crimes against women in their states?” she asked.
Mamata also lauded the state police for their efforts to maintain law and order during the ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ on August 27 and the ‘Bangla Bandh’ on August 28, and said, “I salute the police of Bengal for showing restrain.”
WHAT MAMATA BANERJEE SAID ON KOLKATA RAPE-MURDER CASE
Speaking at the rally, the Chief Minister said she had done everything possible in the case and that her government pushed for a capital punishment for the main accused, Sanjay Roy.
Also mentioning her letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said, “I had written to PM Narendra Modi and had stated they had come up with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), but have only imprisoned the accused.”
“The state does not have the power, and if I do get, the rapist would have been given capital punishment within seven days,” she said.
Mamata also slammed those spreading false information on the case on social media, and said, “Social media isn’t bad, but a lot many people are spreading fake information. I want to assure you that we haven’t done anything which wasn’t for the good of the people.”
MAMATA BANERJEE URGES DOCTORS TO REJOIN WORK
The Chief Minister said she respects doctors’ support for the rape victim. However, requested them all to rejoin their duties.
“The Supreme Court has requested you all to join, people are dying without treatment. There are poor people, who cannot afford expensive medical treatments, where will they go?”
“I am assuring you no action will be taken against you, please rejoin your duties,” Mamata Banerjee told protesting doctors in Bengal.
“The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was handed over the investigation into the doctor’s rape and murder case. Sixteen days have passed, what is the central agency doing? Where is justice?” she asked at the event.
Mamata Busy Stalling Probe: BJP
Hitting out at the TMC over the RG Kar incident, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said Mamata Banerjee’s government is busy stalling and diverting the investigation.
“BJP’s bandh was successful. Mamata Banerjee’s government is trying to threaten the doctors. When Mamata ji was with us in Atal ji’s government, she would talk about the atrocities against her by the Left and now look what she is doing herself in West Bengal,” he said at a press conference in New Delhi.
BANGLA BANDH
Parts of West Bengal witnessed turmoil on Wednesday after protesting BJP workers clashed with the police as they tried to enforce a 12-hour shutdown in the state.
Several BJP leaders, including former Rajya Sabha MP Roopa Ganguly and MLA Agnimitra Paul, were detained for blocking roads and railway tracks since the early morning.
The ‘Bangla Bandh’, which began at 6 am today, was called by the BJP in protest against Tuesday’s police action on participants of ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ or march to the secretariat, organised by the newly formed students’ group, Chatra Samaj, over the rape and murder of the doctor at RG Kar Hospital.
