The Bengal Assembly on Tuesday gave unanimous passage to the Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill, 2024, amid persisting street tumult over the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee used the tabling and passage of the bill to train her guns squarely on the BJP in a patently political speech aimed at turning the tables on the main Opposition party.

“We have done this since the Prime Minister could not. The Prime Minister is a shame to this nation, as he couldn’t offer protection to women,” Mamata said, making her objective of showing the Centre in a poor light clear even as BJP MLAs kept demanding her resignation as chief minister.

The bill prescribes a life term for rape — and the death sentence for rape that results in death or puts the victim in a vegetative state — and jail for three to five years for revealing a rape victim’s identity.

It proposes that probes be completed within 21 days, with a possible extension of up to 15 days under the supervision of an SP, and justice delivery within 30 days of the chargesheet being filed.

A political observer couldn’t help quipping that an embattled Mamata had even managed to get archrival Suvendu Adhikari, leader of the Opposition in the state, on her side in the process ofsecuring unanimous passage of the bill.

During the discussion, Mamata alleged the Centre hadn’t consulted the states properly before passing the triad of new criminal laws and said her government was now trying to plug the holes.

“As soon as this bill is passed here, it will be sent to the governor (C.V. Ananda Bose). If the governor promptly clears it, it will go to the President (Droupadi Murmu),” Mamata said.

“When there is presidential assent, this will be turned into law. Once that happens, it will be truly historic. Other states will emulate this model.”

Mamata advised the BJP to urge Bose against sitting on the bill.

Sources on the Treasury benches said there was now some breathing space following the passage of the bill, which modifies the central laws BNSS, BNS, BSA and the Pocso Act.

“There is every possibility of this going the way of the Andhra Pradesh Disha Bill, 2019, and the Shakti Criminal Laws (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill, 2021, which are yet to receive presidential assent,” a senior Trinamool leader said.

“But in that event, the blame will attach to the Centre, that too for a bill passed with BJP support here.”

The Andhra Pradesh Disha Bill prescribed the death sentence for rape and gang rape, and a 21-day deadline for trials of such cases.

The Shakti Criminal Laws (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill included a provision for the death sentence for rape and increased the punishment for acid attacks on women and sexual attacks on minor girls. It also made it mandatory for the investigation of such cases to be completed within 30 days of the complaint being registered.

“We will, at least, be able to say we did something while BJP-led governments twiddled their thumbs,” the Trinamool leader said.

“Some other measures are likely to come soon to pacify the relentlessly agitating medical fraternity and sections of civil society. We have finally embarked on the crucial journey towards recovery following weeks of stupefied stasis,” the politician added hopefully.

During her 39-minute speech, Mamata demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, other Union ministers, all the BJP chief ministers and Adhikari, accusing the saffron camp of failure to protect women against sexual crimes.

“I demand the resignation of the Prime Minister, the Union home minister, the BJP’s (Union) ministers, the BJP’s chief ministers, and the (Bengal) Opposition leader (Adhikari),” she said.

Trinamool leaders are expected to take to the public the anti-BJP narrative Mamata tried to build in her Assembly speech, arguing -- as often before -- that the saffron ecosystem was interested only in maligning Bengal.

“Now, they are simply defaming Bengal. Think long and hard about Bengal’s honour. If you malign Bengal and tarnish its image, it affects us all,” Mamata said.

“Have you ever thought about what would happen if we start using your language against the Prime Minister, the Union home minister, and your chief ministers?” she asked as BJP members called for her resignation.

“Ask Narendra Modi to resign first…. They practise inhumane politics over tragedies, but do not really seek justice.”

Mamata again demanded prompt justice from the CBI – now probing the RG Kar rape and murder under a court order – and the hanging of the guilty.

“The fight by our mothers, sisters, and brothers with the demand for women’s safety, from civil society to students… kudos to them all,” she said, appearing to praise the protesters who have been attacking her relentlessly over the RG Kar atrocity.

“But I did not hear a word (from the BJP) about the women across the country who have been raped and were subjected to other atrocities. This session expresses its condolences over their anguish as well.”

She added: “Rape is a colossal curse on humanity. It is a social disease…. A society that cannot ensure the safety of its women can never be an ideal one.”