The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the Paschim Bardhaman district administration to “act accordingly” over a petition filed by the BJP, seeking permission to hold a demonstration against the alleged gangrape of a medical student there. The BJP had alleged that the police did not grant permission to hold the dharna and prayed for a direction to the police to allow them to hold a demonstration from 6 am to 6 pm every day until October 19. Justice Shampa Dutt (Paul) disposed of the petition, directing the police to "act accordingly" and said that “permission be granted in accordance with the law”. Meanwhile, Odisha BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi, who met the woman student in the hospital, criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her remarks on women students venturing out of the hostel late at night. He claimed that such comments were made to protect the criminals. Sarangi, who arrived in Paschim Bardhaman with a team of BJP workers, was earlier reportedly stopped by the hospital's security personnel, leading to an argument between the two sides. The BJP MP from Balasore, along with a few party workers from Balasore, however, met the woman in the hospital in the afternoon. "Today, I checked with the authorities, and they told me that the victim had gone out within the permissible time. Then how could the Bengal CM claim she was out at 12:30 at night? How could she make such a statement? This is only to protect the criminals," Sarangi alleged. "I have seen our daughter inside the hospital. She is suffering from severe mental and physical trauma," he told reporters.
