Kolkata – Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar told reporters on Monday that the Durgapur gang‑rape case, which shocked West Bengal, is not an isolated oddity. “Every society and every country sees such incidents,” she said, emphasizing that crime does not respect borders.
The remarks came a day after Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal’s Chief Minister, suggested that girls stay indoors at night and asked why the victim was outside a private medical college at 12:30 a.m. Her comments sparked criticism and prompted the MP to defend the state’s stance on sexual violence.
Ghosh Dastidar highlighted the Aparajita Bill, a state law aimed at tightening penalties for rape. “We passed the bill in the West Bengal Assembly, sent it to New Delhi, but it’s stalled at the President’s desk,” she said. “The onus is now on the central government,” she added, urging national approval to protect victims and punish perpetrators.
The case concerns a second‑year medical student from Odisha who was allegedly gang‑raped outside Durgapur campus on October 10 after leaving the campus for dinner with a male friend. Police say a group of motorcycle riders stalked the pair, forced the friend away, and dragged the student into a wooded area where they attacked her. The perpetrators also stole her mobile phone. Arrests have been made, including Sheikh Reajuddin, Apu Bauri, and Firdos Seikh, with a fourth person taken into custody on Monday morning.
The incident has intensified the political backlash. BJP officials have labeled Banerjee a “habitual victim‑blamer” and cited past cases to support their claims. BJP’s IT Cell Chief and West Bengal observer, Amit Malviya, released a social‑media post on Sunday outlining past allegations of victim‑blaming by the chief minister.
The Durgapur gang‑rape case now sits at the intersection of policing, state legislation and national politics, spotlighting India’s ongoing struggle with sexual violence and the need for swift, centralized legal response.
Source: ianslive
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