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“Nobody talks about Unnao, Hathras …”: Mamata on the rape and murder case in Kolkata


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Mamata Banerjee defends handling of the case

What is the story

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee responded to criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over her handling of the doctor's rape and murder case in Kolkata by pointing to similar incidents in Unnao and Hathras.

“Nobody is talking about what happened in Unnao. The victims of Hathras have not been given justice,” she said during a session of the state assembly.

The remarks came as her government in West Bengal introduced a new anti-rape law that would impose stricter penalties for such crimes.

Banerjee criticizes central government decision on BNS

Banerjee also criticised the central government’s decision to pass the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) without consulting her state.

She said the new law would close “loopholes” in existing legislation.

The Prime Minister expressed her condolences to the victim and her family and described the timeline of events at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

“We want justice from the CBI. The CBI should hang the criminal,” she said.

Banerjee emphasizes the efficiency of the judiciary in West Bengal

Banerjee also pointed out that West Bengal ranks third in the country in terms of the number of fast food courts.

She recalled the Kamdhuni case, in which her government had demanded the death penalty, but the Supreme Court overturned the High Court's verdict.

“To implement the bill, ask the governor to sign it. Our state ranks third in fast-track procedures,” she added.

New anti-rape law passed in West Bengal

The new anti-rape bill, officially called “Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill 2024”, was introduced by West Bengal Law Minister Moloy Ghatak.

It was passed during a special session of the Assembly.

The bill provides for the death penalty for persons convicted of rape that resulted in the death of the victim or left her in a vegetative state, and provides for life imprisonment without parole for persons convicted of rape and gang rape.

Banerjee defends the state police

In her defense of the state police, Banerjee pointed to unsolved cases of assault on women in other states.

She was referring to the rape of a 20-year-old Dalit woman in Hathras in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in 2020 and the rape and murder of a college student in North 24 Parganas in Bengal in 2013.

She claimed that in the states, “there are abnormally high rates of crime against women… and there is no justice there, but in Bengal women get justice in the courts.”

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