Kolkata law student gangrape: BJP alleges political support to accused, demands Mamata Banerjee's resignation
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 29 (ANI): Claiming links between the accused in the gangrape of a law student in Kolkata and top TMC leaders, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata.
The incident that comes 10 months after the RG Kar hospital rape and murder case has triggered a major political row in West Bengal.
Congress and the BJP earlier in the day held separate protests over the incident. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) workers also held a 'Mashal March' demanding justice for the rape survivor.
A female student was allegedly gang-raped inside the South Calcutta Law College in Kolkata's Kasba on Wednesday, June 25. The police have arrested three persons, including the main accused, and a five-member Special team has been formed to investigate the incident.
Kolkata Police Chief Prosecutor Sourin Ghosal told ANI, 'We are investigating his (Guard of the Law College, Pinaki Banerjee) role in the alleged offence...The court has granted his police custody till July 1...'
The main accused, Manojit Mishra, and his accomplices, Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukhopadhyay, have been remanded to police custody till July 1.
The BJP has set up a four-member fact-finding committee to investigate the case. BJP MP Sambit Patra made the announcement while addressing a press conference in the National Capital on Saturday.
'BJP President JP Nadda has formed a committee, and that committee will visit the spot and investigate. Its members are former Union Ministers Satpal Singh, Meenakshi Lekhi and MPs Biplab Deb and Manan Mishra. This committee will soon visit the spot and submit its report to the National President,' he said.
Patra demanded that Mamata Banerjee apologise and resign as the Chief Minister.'We are not asking for clarification from Mamata Banerjee. We are asking her to apologise and resign,' Patra said.
Union Minister and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar was detained on Saturday while protesting against the gangrape incident at South Calcutta Law College in Kolkata.The protest was organised by the party at Gariahat Crossing in Kolkata. Waiving the BJP flags, they attempted to climb over the barricades guarded by police personnel.
Majumdar said, 'This is the face of democracy in West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee has ruined democracy in the state...The police have arrested me and other workers (of the BJP)...'
The BJP has also accused the TMC of 'shielding' the accused and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
BJP leader Gaurav Vallabh told ANI, 'What is the relationship between the gang rape accused and the TMC? Why do accused often emerge as members of the TMC party? In this case, the accused is also found to be a member of TMC. All of this is happening when the West Bengal Chief Minister is a woman... I believe Bengal has now become synonymous with anarchy, corruption, and nepotism. I strongly demand that a government that fails to protect its women must be dismissed. It is disgraceful to see MPs standing with the accused, claiming it was a matter of friendship or asking 'what should we do.' Such behaviour from TMC leaders, who are trying to shield the accused, is shameful... Mamata Banerjee should resign immediately...'
The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) in a statement posted on its official X media handle said, 'Our stance remains resolute; we have zero tolerance for crimes against women and demand the strictest possible punishment for all those involved in this heinous crime'.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra stressed that the State government has 'zero tolerance' for crimes against women.
'College student's rape investigation on war footing - @KolkataPolice identified & arrested all accused within 12 hrs, sent to 4 day custody. @AITCofficial & state govt has zero tolerance for crime against women - swiftest action taken in rape & POCSO cases. Unlike @BJP4India who glorify, garland & reward rapists & killers, ' Moitra who represents the Krishnanagar Lok Sabha constituency said in social media post X on Saturday.
Congress MP Imran Masood told ANI, 'Why only Bengal? Are these incidents not happening in other states?. This society is getting distorted. And strict action should be taken against this. This should not only be a political issue, whether it happened in this state or in another state. These incidents are happening everywhere...'
Congress leader Mumtaz Patel told ANI, 'There should not be any politics on such incidents...Strict punishment should be given to those involved in the incident...'
Meanwhile, the father of one of the accused in the Kolkata gangrape case demanded strict punishment for the guilty.'First, I am a citizen of India, then a father. The matter is sub-judice and the police are carrying out the investigation. We have trust in the court...Strict punishment should be given to him if he is found to be involved in the incident...We have full faith in the Kolkata police...,' he told ANI.
The latest incident came nearly a year after a trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered at RG Kar, Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The incident had sparked protests across the country. (ANI)
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