The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday launched a scathing attack at the TMC government over the rape of a student at a law college in Kolkata, saying "Why is there so much insensitivity and cruelty in West Bengal?"
BJP MP Sambit Patra, while addressing a press conference in New Delhi, called the gangrape "a state-sponsored brutality" and alleged that the brutal act was inspired by a political point of view.
The attack from the BJP comes after a 24-year-old student was raped allegedly by three men including an alumnus earlier this week. The three accused and a security guard have been arrested in the case. The incident occurred at the South Calcutta Law College on the evening of June 25.
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"In a state where there is a woman Chief Minister, there should be sensitivity towards women, but why is there so much insensitivity and cruelty? The victim has issued a statement herself. If we read it carefully, it becomes clear that this entire vicious cycle of gangrape is somewhere state-sponsored. It is a brutal act inspired by a political point of view," Patra told reporters during the briefing.
He also alleged that the prime accused, Monojit Mishra, was a member of the ruling Trinamool Congress.
{{/usCountry}}He also alleged that the prime accused, Monojit Mishra, was a member of the ruling Trinamool Congress.
{{/usCountry}}"Why am I saying this? Because it is related to a college union, the main accused is Manoj Mishra. Monojit Mishra himself has been the secretary of the student wing of TMC. He has been the former student of the college," he said.
According to media reports, the 24-year-old woman had gone to the college to fill out a form for a test and was forced to stay back in the union room even after it was completed.
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The alumnus, Monojit Mishra (31), who is also a criminal lawyer and a contractual non-teaching staff of the college, raped her after she turned down a marriage proposal from him, while two existing students stood guard and made a video recording of the act on their mobile phones. The other two accused, Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukhopadhyay, were students of the same law college.
BJP announces 4-member committee to investigate case
The BJP also announced a four-member committee following the rape of a first-year student at a Kolkata law college.
Sambit Patra said that BJP national president JP Nadda has formed a committee to visit Bengal and investigate "the absolute brutal act."
The committee will comprise four members- former Union Ministers Satpal Singh, Meenakshi Lekhi and BJP MPs Biplab Deb and Manan Kumar Mishra.
The BJP MP said that the committee will soon visit Kolkata and submit a report on the incident to the party president.
Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar also attacked the West Bengal government, saying the TMC government had no right to stay in their post if it could not ensure a safe environment for students.
Majumdar claimed that female students are not safe in West Bengal's educational institutions, citing the RG Kar Medical College incident and the latest law college case.