Rape in Kolkata college shows female students not safe, claims BJP’s Bengal unit chief

Union minister and BJP's West Bengal unit president Sukanta Majumdar on Friday claimed that the alleged gang-rape in a law college in Kolkata shows that female students are "not safe" in educational institutes in the state.

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Condemning the incident, the ruling Trinamool Congress said the police swiftly apprehended all three accused and urged the opposition party not to politicise the issue.

Majumdar, the union minister of state for education, alleged that the law and order situation in West Bengal is "in a shambles" even though Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee takes care of the police (Home) department.

After the rape-murder of an on-duty doctor in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital last year, the alleged incident of gang-rape of a student took place in a law college in Kolkata, and this only proved that "female students are not safe in educational institutions" in the state, the BJP leader said.

Majumdar also referred to the killing of a girl in a bomb explosion earlier this week during a TMC victory rally taken out before the results of the Kaliganj assembly bypoll were announced.

Condemning the alleged gang-rape of a student in a law college in Kolkata, Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari said that a huge protest will be organised.

"Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has no right to stay put in her chair. She should resign," he said.

Adhikari alleged that senior officers of Kolkata Police have been in Digha, where the chief minister is participating in the Rath Yatra from the newly inaugurated Jagannath temple.

TMC leader Jaiprakash Majumdar, urging the leader of the opposition to control his vociferous criticism, said, "Instead of politicising the issue, a constructive approach should be taken to stop such crimes."

The Trinamool Congress, in a social media post, also condemned "the tragic rape incident at South Calcutta Law College".

It said the Kolkata Police swiftly apprehended all three accused.

"This tragedy once again underscores the urgent need for the implementation of the Aparajita Anti-Rape Bill to establish a strong deterrent against sexual offences, emphasising the necessity for speedy investigations, swift trials, and stringent punishments," the TMC said.

The Bill, tabled after the RG Kar hospital incident, aims to modify and introduce fresh provisions in the law related to rape and sexual offences.

"It is extremely unfortunate that the @BJP4India Govt at the Centre has not lifted a finger to get it implemented," it said.

The TMC said the state administration under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee "is committed to providing every possible form of support and assistance to the victim during this distressing time".

West Bengal state president of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad Trinankur Bhattacharjee said that the students' wing of the TMC does not support any act of torture against anyone and demanded the strictest punishment for those found guilty of the crime.

"The police have promptly arrested the accused persons and I am confident that justice will be delivered since the administration in West Bengal is committed to women's safety."

Student and youth wings of opposition parties, including the SFI and the AIDSO, held protests in front of Kasba police station, within the jurisdiction of which the alleged place of occurrence is located, and the law college.

Holding placards, the activists of SFI (Students' Federation of India), the student wing of the CPI(M), held a protest in front of the locked main entrance of the law college.

The AIDYO (All India Democratic Youth Organisation) workers staged a protest in front of the Kasba police station.

Congress workers also staged a sit-in in front of the Kasba police station.

"Law and order in the state has gone to sleep, so we are holding a protest sit-in here," Congress leader Asutosh Chatterjee, who led the agitation, said.