Abhishek Banerjee sets ‘deadline’ for Centre to implement anti-rape law
Abhishek Banejree's remarks come a day after he demanded a stringent anti-rape law that ensures trials and convictions within 50 days of the crime.
Amid the ongoing ‘Bangla Bandh’ by BJP in West Bengal, Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday gave a “deadline” to the Centre to implement a law pertaining to crimes against women. According to the TMC leader, if the central government fails to do so in the next three to four months, the party will hold a “big movement” in Delhi.
“If a time-bound legislation pertaining to the crimes against women is not passed by the Centre in the next three to four months, then Trinamool Congress will hold a big movement in Delhi,” Banerjee said while addressing a rally on the 27th foundation day of West Bengal Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, the student wing of the TMC.
Banerjee further opposed BJP's ‘Bangla Bandh’ in the city.
“We oppose the 12-hour 'Bangla Bandh' called by BJP,” he said.
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This comes a day after the TMC leader demanded a stringent anti-rape law that ensures trials and convictions within 50 days of the crime. He also posted a chart on X showing the rapes and atrocities against women in the last 15 days after the RG Kar Hospital incident.
“This collage stands as a stark reminder of the state of affairs in India over the last 15 days as the nation fights for justice against rape. The answer is clear: a stringent anti-rape law that ensures trials and convictions within 50 days, followed by immediate and harsh punishment. The shocking truth is that the conviction rate for rape cases in India is a dismal 26 per cent. This translates to only 26 convictions out of every 100 reported cases, while 74 offenders escape unpunished,” he wrote in the post.
He also asserted that anything else other than a stringent law is “futile” and “merely symbolic and ultimately ineffective”.
‘Bangla Bandh’
The BJP on Wednesday called for a 12-hour ‘Bangla bandh’ in protest against the “brutal” police action against “peaceful” protesters during the ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ rally. The 'Bangla Bandh', which began at 6 am, affected people in various parts of the state.
Several BJP workers demonstrated in support of the bandh at the Bongaon station in North 24 Parganas, Gocharan station in South 24 Parganas, and Murshidabad station.
During the demonstrations, BJP workers clashed with the police at several places across the state. Meanwhile, BJP leaders, including former Rajya Sabha MP Roopa Ganguly and MLA Agnimitra Paul, were detained for blocking roads and railway tracks in the city.
The bandh was called a day after several members of the new unauthorised student body ‘Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj’ and other organisations held a ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ rally in Kolkata to protest against the rape and murder of the 31-year-old trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The rally was held despite the state police terming it as “illegal” and “unauthorized”, citing concerns over potential violence and public disorder.
During the rally, clashes erupted between police and protesters, leading the police to resort to opening lathi-charge and lobbing tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
