Centre responds to Mamata Banerjee as Trinamool and BJP unite for Bengal's 'Aparajita' Anti-Rape Bill

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of politicizing the tragic death of a 31-year-old woman doctor in Kolkata. The accusation came after the West Bengal Assembly passed the "Aparajita Woman and Child Bill" on Tuesday. Rijiju shared a letter from 2018 on social media, where he had urged Banerjee to take swift action against heinous crimes like rape. He criticized the state government for not implementing a 2018 central law aimed at setting up fast-track special courts (FTSC) to handle cases of rape and POCSO Act violations.

West Bengal passes strict Anti-Rape Law

The new West Bengal anti-rape law, passed with unanimous support, proposes severe punishments, including the death penalty for rapists if the victim dies or is left in a vegetative state. The law also mandates the completion of rape investigations within 21 days, a reduction from the previous two-month deadline. Despite some support from BJP MLAs, opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari accused Banerjee of using the bill to distract from public outrage over the crime.

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Mamata Banerjee defended the bill, calling it historic, and demanded the resignation of several top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for failing to protect women. The law, which still needs approval from the state Governor and the President, would strengthen West Bengal's legal framework against sexual crimes.