Kolkata, Jul 21 (PTI) Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a blistering attack on the Mamata Banerjee government, accusing it of rendering West Bengal a dangerous place for women, the chief minister retorted on Monday by pointing fingers at neighbouring BJP-ruled Odisha where back-to-back instances of violence against women hogged national headlines.
While addressing a political rally in Durgapur last Friday, PM Modi expressed his concern over women’s safety in the state, referring to the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar hospital in August last year, and the more recent alleged gangrape of a law student in a south Kolkata college.
“You came here and spoke about two of our students who have been tortured,” Banerjee said, while addressing the TMC Martyrs’ Day mega rally in the city.
“We have taken immediate action against the perpetrators. One of those cases is currently being investigated by the CBI. We never drag our feet when such incidents happen and take prompt action. We have never protected the culprits,” she asserted.
Banerjee then turned her focus to Odisha where recent instances of a college student’s death from self-immolation after alleged sexual harassment from a faculty member, and a school student raped and subsequently set ablaze by perpetrators, were reported within a week.
“Can the BJP leaders comment (on law and order) when a victim in Odisha was running on the streets to save her honour, she was set on fire in broad daylight and killed. What answers do you have? We want answers,” she asked.
Referring to the crimes in Kolkata, PM Modi had alleged that the accused enjoyed the patronage of the ruling Trinamool Congress. “Even hospitals in Bengal are not safe. When a doctor was subjected to atrocities, the TMC government rushed to protect the accused. Before the state recovered, another atrocity was reported from a college, and once again, the accused were linked to the ruling party,” he had said.
Banerjee then drew attention to the BJP’s controversial award of party ticket to Karan Bhushan Singh, son of former BJP MP and former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Singh, who was then charged with sexually harassing women wrestlers, during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Several opposition parties had called the move “politics of proxy”.
“Where is justice? Who will answer? Sportspersons were tortured (in Uttar Pradesh). The perpetrator was rewarded with an MP ticket,” Banerjee alleged. PTI SMY RBT
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