Durgapur, West Bengal – A delegation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders was prevented from meeting an alleged gangrape survivor at Durgapur Hospital on Sunday, sparking তীব্র condemnation and accusations of "Taliban-like rule" against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The incident has ignited a political firestorm, with the BJP alleging a complete breakdown of law and order in the state and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) accusing the BJP of politicizing a sensitive issue.
According to reports, the BJP leaders, including Locket Chatterjee, arrived at the hospital to meet the second-year MBBS student who was allegedly gangraped on Friday night near the IQ City Medical College campus in Durgapur. However, they were stopped at the gates by police.
The BJP has reacted strongly to the incident, with leaders accusing Mamata Banerjee's government of creating a "nightmare for women's safety" in West Bengal. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar stated that the state has become a "safe haven for rapists and criminals" under Banerjee's rule. Amit Malviya, BJP IT chief, echoed this sentiment, asserting that West Bengal is not safe for women.
The party has vowed to launch statewide protests to demand justice for the victim and to raise awareness about women's safety issues in the state. Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, has promised the victim's family every possible help in getting justice for their daughter and offered to shift her to a Kolkata hospital if needed.
The alleged gangrape occurred on Friday night when the victim, a student from Odisha's Jaleswar, was allegedly taken out of the campus by one of her friends. A group of youths then reportedly dragged her into a nearby forested area and gangraped her. Police have arrested three individuals in connection with the crime and have remanded them to ten days' police custody.
Adding fuel to the fire, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has drawn criticism for her remarks following the incident. Questioning the victim's presence outside at night, Banerjee stated, "Especially the girl child, at night time, they should not be allowed to come out in the outside". These comments have been slammed as victim-blaming and have further intensified the outrage against the state government.
The father of the victim has expressed concerns about his daughter's safety in West Bengal and has requested Chief Minister Banerjee to allow him to take her back to Odisha. He stated that his daughter is unable to walk and is on bedrest.
In response to the criticism, the TMC has accused the BJP of politicizing the Durgapur incident, emphasizing that the police have initiated a thorough investigation. Minister Sashi Panja urged that crimes against women should not be politicized. Mamata Banerjee has stated that her government will take stringent action against the accused and pointed out that her government has a track record of swiftly charge-sheeting accused persons in similar cases.
The National Commission for Women has taken suo motu cognizance of the matter, and a member of the commission has visited the victim in the hospital.
The incident has sparked widespread protests across Durgapur, with people demanding swift justice and accountability from the government. The West Bengal Doctors' Forum has also condemned the incident and demanded real safety measures to ensure the safety of women on campuses.
