Monday, 22 July 2013

Rape and sexual harassment of women a continuing episode in Bengal during Mamatha Banerjee’s rule --------------------------------------------------------------------

During the reign of Mamatha Banerjee incidents of rape and such atrocities on women are a continuing story in West Bengal. Her pooh-poohing of the allegations of rape and other such atrocities against women before any enquiry is conducted and blaming them on CPM saying that it is part of their conspiracy to malign her and her government had immensely contributed to the rise of such incidents. Thus it is not surprising that such incidents are still continuing. A few instances of rape and molestation of women that had taken place during the last 2 months are enumerated hereunder.

In the beginning of June,2013, an Irish girl tourist was raped at Kolkata. Consequently, she was admitted to the hospital due to excessive consumption of sleeping pills which is suspected to be a case of attempt at suicide. Later on, police had arrested a businessman in connection with the said rape.

Close on the heels of the above incident, came the gory episode of brutal gang rape and subsequent killing of a girl hailing from Kolkata who was a college student and was in her early 20s.The incident had happened while she was on her way back to home from the college when she was dragged and taken to a walled compound where she was gang raped. The next day her body was recovered at a village called Kamduni in 24-Parganas District which is hardly 20 Kms away from Kolkata. As a matter of fact, this was an incident that had shocked human conscience. In pursuance of registering case and enquiry police had arrested more than six persons involved in the gory affair. Understandably, this horrible incident had caused widespread condemnation all over the state including  angry protests at several places. Interestingly, for reasons not known, Mamatha Banerjee did not deny the charge of rape nor has she blamed it on CPM as was the practice usually followed by her on such occasions.

Similarly, last week a French woman who is in her early 20s was molested in the wee hours at 2.30 AM at Kolkata. The incident happened was thus: The French woman and her companion have been staying at Kolkata for the past more than one year. While they were going to their residence, they were accosted by four drunkards who passed obscene comments and made advances towards the woman. Naturally, this was objected to by her companion which infuriated the drunkards who had attacked him and molested the woman and fled.  According to the police, on a complaint lodged by her companion a case has been registered against the culprits and enquiry is under way to trace them.

It is recalled that prior to the above incident of molestation  involving French woman, another similar incident had taken place as early as on 25th March,2013 wherein a South Korean girl who was proceeding to Howrah Railway Station was molested in a bus at 7 AM. Even though the only suspect in this case was arrested he was able to come out of jail  on bail This was so since the police did not book him under the amended Section 354 of Penal Code which ensures stringent punishment for making sexual advances towards foreigners. Instead of doing so, they had booked him under some weak sections enabling him to secure bail easily.

Under such circumstances prevailing in West Bengal right now, rape and atrocities on women have become a continuing episode. It hardly needs any emphasis that unless the cases of rape, molestation  and other such atrocities on women are entrusted with efficient and honest police officers and the culprits are proceeded against ruthlessly under stringent sections of Penal Code without batting an eye lid, the present situation is bound to prevail in West Bengal. Needless to state, in such a situation the safety of women will undoubtedly remain  a far cry during the reign of Mamatha Banerjee.

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