Kolkata gangrape: What can one do if a friend rapes friend? asks TMC MP

At a time when the alleged gangrape of a student at the South Calcutta Law College has triggered a state-wide outrage in West Bengal, senior Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee courted controversy on Friday (June 27) saying what can be done if a friend rapes a friend.

‘Until men’s mentality improves’

Speaking to reporters, Banerjee, an MP from the Sreeramour constituency, argued that such incidents would continue to occur unless the mentality of men improved, adding that the same situation prevailed everywhere, despite adequate safety arrangements. He also accused a reporter of asking questions with a political agenda.

“What safety? Everywhere it’s the same situation. Until the mentality of men improves, such things will continue to happen. You have a political agenda and came here with the mic. There are safety arrangements. But if a friend rapes his friend then how can protection be provided?” said Banerjee.

Also Read: Kolkata law student rape: 'Like RG Kar movement, we are planning big protests'

'Should police be deployed in campus'

Asked about the crime being committed inside the campus, the MP asked a counter question, saying, should police be deployed inside campuses?

“You tell me, should there be police inside the premises of educational institutions? Who will provide protection to her?” said Banerjee.

“Protection has to be provided by her co-workers. But the co-workers themselves are raping? Then whose fault is it?” he added.

Also Read: Kolakta: Woman gangraped for rejecting marriage proposal: Police

‘Whose fault was it’

Asked about the accused being an ex-student, he said, “Ok. He is an ex-student. How did an ex-student enter the campus, you are asking? Even when an ex-student enters the campus, there must be some links with him.”

“College authorities and others should do… But whose fault was it in the first place? It was done by her fellow students,” added Banerjee.

What TMCP chief said

Four persons, including the prime accused, have been arrested in the case. According to the social media profile of the prime accused, Maojit Mishra, also a former student of the college, is a former president of the college’s Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) unit and the organisational secretary of the south Kolkata wing of the TMC's student body.

However, TMCP state president Trinankur Bhattacharya sought to distance the organisation from the incident, saying that the TMCP unit at the South Calcutta Law College had been defunct since 2019, reported NDTV.

Leader of the Opposition, BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, however, said that it was not just a “horrendous crime” but a burning evidence of TMC’s “criminalisation.”

Also Read: Law student gangraped in Kolkata; 3 arrested, remanded in 4-day custody

NCW chief writes to Bengal Chief Secretary

Meanwhile, the National Commission For Women (NCW), Chairperson, Vijaya Rahatkar, has written to the West Bengal Chief Secretary stating that there should be full cooperation by the police police to facilitate the NCW Member Dr Archana Mujumdar's access to the victim and her family.

She further stated that there should be” immediate and confidential internal medical examination” of the victim without delay.

She also urged the Chief Secretary to ensure “submission of internal and external medical reports to NCW within 3 days”, adding there should be “strong safety and security arrangements for the victim and her family.”