Following controversial remarks by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders regarding the alleged gang rape of a law student in Kolkata, the party has moved to disown the comments, sparking condemnation from within and without. Meanwhile, opposition parties have seized on the incident to protest against what they describe as a deteriorating state of women's safety in West Bengal.

The controversy stems from statements made by TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee and MLA Madan Mitra concerning the alleged gang rape at South Calcutta Law College. Banerjee's remarks, in particular, have been criticized for appearing to shift responsibility away from the perpetrators, while Mitra was accused of survivor-shaming. The TMC was quick to distance itself from the comments, issuing a statement asserting that they were made in the leaders' personal capacities and do not reflect the party's stance. The party reiterated its zero-tolerance policy towards crimes against women and demanded the strictest punishment for those involved.

Within the TMC, there has been a strong reaction against the remarks. TMC MP Mahua Moitra openly criticized her party colleagues, emphasizing that misogyny transcends party lines in India. She highlighted that the TMC's condemnation of the comments, regardless of who made them, sets it apart.

The opposition has strongly criticized the TMC government, alleging that the incident highlights a broader issue of women's safety in West Bengal. The BJP has been particularly vocal, with leaders accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of failing to protect women in the state. BJP's West Bengal unit chief Sukanta Majumdar claimed that the alleged gang rape demonstrates that female students are not safe in educational institutions in the state. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari called for state-wide protests and demanded that the government break its silence on party links to the incident.

The BJP organized a protest rally in Kolkata, which was stopped by the police, leading to the detention of Majumdar and other party leaders. Majumdar alleged that the police act like TMC workers and are preventing them from protesting. Other opposition parties, including the SFI (Students' Federation of India) and the AIDSO (All India Democratic Students Organisation), have also staged protests.

The alleged gang rape and the ensuing political fallout occur against a backdrop of ongoing concerns about women's safety in West Bengal. While the state government has often touted Kolkata as one of the safest cities in India for women, opposition parties and some studies have disputed this claim. They point to a potential underreporting of crimes against women in official statistics. Instances of violence against women, including the rape and murder of a medical intern at RG Kar Medical College last year, have fueled public outrage and protests.