Bengal Assembly Clears ‘Aparajita Bill’ For Women’s Safety, Mamata Leads TMC Charge Against BJP

The West Bengal assembly passed on Tuesday a stringent bill to crack down on crimes against women, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee calling it a historic occasion. Faced with protests against the rape-murder of a trainee doctor at state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital last month, the CM and her Trinamool Congress (TMC) party also tried to turn the tables on the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), listing the steps the state has done for women’s safety.

Speaking in the assembly after tabling of the Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill 2024, Banerjee said the proposed legislation aims at quick investigation, fast justice delivery and enhanced punishment of the guilty.

“We wanted the Centre to amend its existing laws and include stricter clauses to ensure exemplary punishment for perpetrators and quicker justice to victims. They showed no enthusiasm for it. That’s why we made the move first. This Bill, once enacted, can serve as a model for the rest of the country,” Banerjee said, according to news agency PTI.

Banerjee also tabled the two letters she recently wrote to PM Modi in this regard, one of which was a counter statement to Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi’s response to her first letter, PTI added.

‘Curse against humanity’

“Rape is a curse against humanity and social reforms are required to prevent such crimes,” Banerjee said, hailing the bill as “historic”. Once this bill is passed, the state will form a special Aparajita Task Force from among the state police force to ensure time-bound completion of the probe, the CM added.

Banerjee said that through this proposed legislation, her government has tried to plug the loopholes that exist in the central legislations in terms of speedy and effective disposal of justice to victims and their kin. The CM informed the House that the day of introduction of the Bill coincided with the 1981 UN convention on elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.

“This coincidence gives me goosebumps. You should be thrilled as well,” she said, pointing at the opposition benches.

The bill was passed amidst pandemonium in the House, with the BJP saying it had proposed nine amendments but none was considered. Chaos ensued on the floor of the House when BJP legislators shouted slogans demanding the CM’s resignation over the rape and murder incident at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. For her part, Banerjee demanded the resignation of Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition, for obstructing the proceedings for passage of the bill.

Responding to a question from Adhikari, Banerjee said, “We have 88 fast track courts in West Bengal, the third highest among all states in the country, and over 50 designated courts for crimes against women. These courts have so far disposed of 3,11,479 of the 3,92,620 cases registered. Some 7,000 cases concerning women currently remain under adjudication before the courts.”

Banerjee urged the Opposition to impress upon the governor to sign the bill without delay, while asserting that it would be the state government’s responsibility for its effective enactment following the assent of Raj Bhavan and the President.

“We want justice from the CBI and death by hanging of the guilty,” Banerjee said over the rape and murder of the RG Kar medic while expressing her sorrow over the gruesome crime and sympathies for the victim’s kin.

‘BJP ups ante’

In the House, Adhikari alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government moved the anti-rape Bill to divert attention from public anger and protests over the murder of the doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The BJP leader said: “We will give full support to the new bill and will not seek voting on it.” He alleged that the TMC government failed to prevent incidents of rape and sexual abuse of women during its tenure. Adhikari demanded immediate enactment of the bill by the state government after its passage.

Reacting to the developments in the assembly, BJP’s Media Cell In-Charge Amit Malviya took to X and wrote: “Mamata Banerjee can’t hide her criminal intent behind the new Anti Rape Law, passed in the West Bengal Assembly. Other than being a desperate attempt to divert from the raging civil society protest against her, post the rape and murder of the young lady doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, a closer look at the fine print of the new anti-rape law reveals that it seeks to limit reporting on judicial proceedings in rape cases. Why is Mamata Banerjee trying to silence the media? So, much for free speech and press freedom!” he asked.

(with agency inputs)