‘If Centre fails, I will move bill’: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee demands new law for time-bound justice for rape victims

Abhishek was speaking at a programme on the foundation day of Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad, the party’s student wing, at Mayo Road in Kolkata. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was also present at the meeting.

“If time-bound legislation is not passed by the Centre in the next 3-4 months pertaining to crimes against women, we will take our movement to Delhi and common citizens will hit the streets… Trinamool Congress will conduct a greater movement in Delhi. If the Centre does not pass an anti-rape law and time-bound legislation, I will move this via a private member’s bill,” Abhishek said

“Bengal’s mothers and sisters called for a ‘Reclaim the Night’ programme on August 14. They demanded a society free of atrocities against women and that those involved in the rape and murder (of a junior doctor at R G Kar hospital) be identified and punished,” Abhishek said.

“We respect the women who called for the protest. They demanded to build a society without rapes and speedy interrogation for punishment of the culprits. The Kolkata police probed the case for four days before the high court handed it to the CBI. The CBI needs to answer why Sandip Ghosh has not been arrested after 14 days. We all want justice,” he added.

According to sources, Abhishek was not happy with the administration and the police for mishandling the investigation into the doctor’s rape and murder and the subsequent outrage in the state.

Abhishek’s remarks came on a day when BJP workers across the state blocked roads and railway tracks on Wednesday as part of a 12-hour strike called by the party to protest the police action on agitators during the protest march to Nabanna over the doctor’s rape and murder.

On protesters demanding Mamata Banerjee’s resignation, Abhishek, her nephew, said that chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra should resign as crimes against women are the highest there.

“According to the NCRB [National Crime Records Bureau], in the last 10 years, Uttar Pradesh has topped the list of crimes against women, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. In all four states, there is a ‘double engine sarkar’. Why is there no call for the resignation of the chief ministers of these four states? I dare the BJP to demand the resignation of CMs of these states,” Abhishek said.

He also hit out at the BJP over its call for ‘Nabanna Abhiyan’ and the ‘Bangla Bandh’. “The police showed restraint as they were attacked by miscreants. The BJP has called for a bandh to protest the arrest of the miscreants who are from their party,” he added.

“Those who sold the dignity of Sandeshkhali women in front of their Delhi masters just for a few votes…Under the watch of the party where Unnao, Hathras and Badlapur-like incidents took place…they have no right to speak on women’s security. We do not need lectures from them. The BJP is a party of rapists and thugs,” Abhishek said.