West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has once again found herself at the forefront of a fierce political battle, demanding the resignations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and the chief ministers of states where recent incidents of rape and sexual abuse have occurred. She accused these leaders of failing to enforce effective legislation to protect women.
CM Mamata Banerjee Supports West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment Bill 2024
During a recent session, CM Mamata Banerjee expressed her strong support for the West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment Bill 2024. She emphasised that this bill is designed to protect the dignity of women and warned that any abuse in Bengal would have far-reaching consequences across the nation.
“I wrote two letters to the Prime Minister, but received no response. Instead, the Minister of Women and Child Development replied, and I responded to her as well. I also informed the Prime Minister of my concerns,” Banerjee stated. She criticised the rapid passage of the Code of Justice Bill before the elections, noting that the states were not consulted and the bill was passed without thorough discussions in the Rajya Sabha and with opposition parties.
Banerjee argued that the new bill was necessary to fill the gaps left by the central government’s legislation. “If Bengal is ill-treated, it will have a spillover effect,” she asserted.
Banerjee also addressed the way she and her party have been treated, questioning the appropriateness of such treatment. “If the TMC were to speak about the Prime Minister and the Union Health Minister in the same manner, would that be right?” she asked rhetorically.
Filling Legislative Gaps: A Response to Central Government’s Shortcomings
The West Bengal CM did not hold back in her critique of the central government, particularly regarding the treatment of rape convicts in the Bilkis Bano case. “The rapists were garlanded,” she said, drawing a stark comparison between the ruling BJP and the CPM, accusing them of competing in poor governance. Banerjee pointed out that during CPM rule, there were no dedicated women police stations.
She reiterated that Kolkata remains safer compared to other cities and took the opportunity to express her gratitude to her supporters. “Every day, I will fight to protect the rights of girls,” Banerjee vowed, drawing a parallel to historical struggles for women’s rights.
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Banerjee highlighted the significance of this day, recalling the establishment of the United Nations committee for the ‘Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women’ in 1981, which was aimed at protecting women’s rights.
The Chief Minister also extended her condolences to the family of the victim in the recent rape-murder case, expressing her grief and calling for severe punishment for the perpetrators. “I expect everyone in civil society to support this bill unanimously,” she said, underscoring the importance of collective action. “A society where women are not safe can never progress,” Banerjee concluded.
