IN LESS THAN five days since West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee demanded a stringent Central law for speedy justice in sexual assault cases, Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi wrote to her pointing out that only six Fast Track Special Courts had been operationalised till June this year despite a huge pendency in POCSO Act and rape cases. In her letter to Banerjee, WCD Minister Annapurna Devi pointed out that under a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in October 2019, West Bengal was allocated 123 Fast Track Special Courts, but none had been operationalised till mid-June 2023. “West Bengal communicated its willingness to participate in the scheme vide letter dated 08.06.2023, committing to start 7 FTSCs. Under the revised target, West Bengal has been allocated 17 FTSCs, of which only 6 exclusive POCSO courts have been operationalised as of 30.06.2024. In spite of a pendency of 48,600 rape and POCSO cases in West Bengal, the State government has not taken any steps to start the remaining 11 FTSCs,” the letter said. Slamming the West Bengal government over “not taking any steps,” the Union WCD Minister said the 123 FTSCs originally allocated included 20 exclusive POCSO courts and 103 combined FTSCs dealing with both rape and POCSO cases. Annapurna Devi’s response follows Banerjee’s letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 22 in the wake of protests over the rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. In her response to Banerjee, the WCD Minister said that Women Helpline - 181, Emergency Response Support System - 112, Child Helpline – 1098, and Cyber Crime Helpline —1930, have been put in place in the past few years. “But unfortunately, the people of the State of West Bengal cannot utilise this facility as the State government has not implemented the Women Helpline despite many requests and reminders from GoI,” Annapurna Devi said. “.the existing legislative framework is stringent enough to tackle the violence and crimes against women. However, you would agree that effective implementation of these provisions of law. falls in the ambit of the State government. It is imperative that the State machinery is fully sensitised and geared up to take fullest advantage of the legal and schematic provisions made by the Central government for ensuring safety and security of women and girls in the State of West Bengal,” she said.
