Rape remark sparks off anti-Mamata talk in TMC
The Park Street rape case has given rise to the first murmurs within the Trinamool Congress about Mamata Banerjee’s leadership. A case, which the police cracked in a matter of days, has turned into a crisis for the government, providing ammunition not only to the opposition Left Front, but also ally Congress. HT reports. Park street rape controversy
The Park Street rape case has given rise to the first murmurs within the Trinamool Congress about Mamata Banerjee’s leadership. A case, which the police cracked in a matter of days, has turned into a crisis for the government, providing ammunition not only to the opposition Left Front, but also ally Congress.
The initial faux pas of the chief minister, a statement on February 16 calling the rape “concocted” and “designed to embarrass the government,” had been compounded over the last few days. Following Banerjee’s lead, her transport minister Madan Mitra and her media advisor questioned the character of the woman and called her complaint fake.
Now, not just the party leaders, but even the rank and file are squirming under the barrage of public outrage. And while no one is willing to come on record, the writing is on the wall.
“Didi should have been cautious, the matter has hurt her image,” said a Trinamool leader on condition of anonymity. “The entire episode was completely avoidable,” lamented another.
On Tuesday, diehard supporters recalled how Banerjee’s rise as a mass leader involved speaking out in favour of oppressed women.
Her demand for justice for Tapasi Malik, raped and murdered in Singur, gave Trinamool its first taste of resounding public support. In 2007-08, Banerjee led the struggle of rape victims in Nandigram.
Under the circumstances, her comments about the 37-year old Anglo-Indian woman who was raped on February 5, has left her partymen foxed. “How can somebody who championed the cause of Tapasi make such a loose comment?” asked a Trinamool MLA from Hooghly district, where the Tatas had their factory.
“Our leader, who has always fought for victims of atrocity, has become a villain of the piece,” said a leader close to the CM.