The Bengal Assembly on Tuesday passed the state’s new anti-rape legislation unanimously, but not without drama.
The Assembly session witnessed a ruckus when the government tabled the Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024.
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari raised the slogan ‘dofa ek, dabi ek, mukyomontrir podotyag’ (one point, one demand, chief minister’s resignation) on the floor of the House. The slogan has been a war cry in many protests that have erupted against the rape and murder of a young doctor in the state-run RG Kar Medical College & Hospital.
“The anti-rape bill aims at quick investigation, fast justice delivery and enhanced punishment,” said Mamata in the assembly.
The proposed legislation seeks capital punishment for persons convicted of rape if their actions result in the victim's death or leave the victim in a vegetative state.
A not-so-highlighted aspect of the bill is that It also seeks to limit reporting of court proceedings in rape cases, which gains significance since the Bengal government has received flak from high court and Supreme Court judges over the handling of the RG Kar case.
Since both the Calcutta HC and the Supreme Court have live-streamed the proceedings, the clips have gone viral on social media adding to the Bengal government’s discomfort.
Adhikari, who spoke before Mamata on Tuesday in the Assembly, pointed out that the rape-murder happened inside a government-run hospital’s premises and when the victim was on government duty.
He mentioned that even the doctors’ association of Pakistan had come out with a statement saying the Bengal government has brought shame to the country and was trying to wriggle out from it via this bill.
“Government is trying to divert the issue from ‘we want justice’ demands..chief minister has made controversial statements earlier during rape cases,” said Adhikari while listing out media reports of chief minister’s comments during the Kamduni and Park Street rape cases.
Adhikari asked for amendments in the bill such as strict punishments for officers if allegations of evidence tampering are found to be true, and if investigating officers change their statements. He also asked that the bill should stipulate a 30-day deadline for punishment.
Mamata spoke right after Suvendu and brought back Unnao and Hathras to highlight crimes against women in BJP-ruled states.
“What if I raise slogans against the PM, HM for the same reasons you are raising slogans against me?... Abnormally high crime rates against women in states like UP, Gujarat,” Mamata said.
The bill seeks to abolish “certain portions of the new Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) Act 2023”
that too deal with the rape of minors.
“Bengal was not consulted before passing BNS, we wanted discussions on it after new govt formation,” Mamata said before the bill was passed in the Assembly.
