Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha MP Rupa Ganguly on Wednesday lashed out at the West Bengal government for its failure in protecting the dignity of women in the state while referring to Nadia Hanskhali murder-rape case, alleging that such cases have become a ‘new normal’ in the state.
Earlier this month, a 14-year-old girl died after she was allegedly gang-raped in West Bengal’s Nadia district. The victim’s family accused the son of a Trinamool Congress panchayat leader in the case.
“At present, West Bengal High Court is coming to the rescue of the people by taking sue moto cognisance of incidents of violence. This is not the only case, every single day such an incident is taking place in the state,” Ganguly told ANI.
“Just think of your child’s face for 30 seconds by closing your eyes. If this is happening to your child, how many days will you not be able to sleep? What is happening with the rest of the people? how can West Bengal remain quiet? I am telling all of you that wake up everyone, how can this go on,” she added.
The BJP MP also choked as she spoke about “atrocities against women in West Bengal” while drawing a parallel with her character Draupadi from Mahabharat saying she would constantly cry over ‘Draupadi Chirharan’ sequence.
“When I was playing the role of Draupadi in Mahabharata, I lived in the character for eight days. One day I screamed in the middle of the shoot of the Chirharan episode. Everyone was laughing around me but my heart was crying as I was being stripped in the crowd,” she remembered.
She further said that everyone praised her acting skills in the Draupadi role but she used to cry after the shooting. “Today, I remember that day how every woman with whom these incidents are happening in West Bengal feels? how the one who has remained alive is actually living?”
Her remarks came after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday questioned if the girl was actually raped or had a love affair that got her pregnant.
“How do you know if she was raped? The police are yet to ascertain the cause of the death. I had asked them. Was she pregnant or had a love affair or was sick? Even family knew it was a love affair. If a couple is in a relationship, how can I stop them?,” the chief minister said.
Calcutta High Court on Tuesday granted permission to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the Hanskhali rape case. In its detailed order, the HC noted that in order to have a ‘fair investigation’ and instil confidence in the family of the victim, the case was being handed over to the CBI.
The state investigating agency has been asked to hand over all papers relating to the investigation, as well as the custody of the accused to the central agency. The matter has been listed for May 2.
A case under sections 376(2)(G) (gangrape), 302 (murder), 204 (tampering with evidence) of the IPC and relevant sections of the POCSO) Act was registered in the case. (ANI)
