Mamata Banerjee cannot hide her criminal intentions behind the new anti-rape law: Amit Malviya

New Delhi, September 3 (IANS): After the West Bengal Assembly unanimously passed the Aparajita Women and Children (Amendment of West Bengal Penal Code) Bill, 2024 by voice vote on Tuesday, the BJP expressed skepticism over Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's intentions behind passing the bill.

The Aparajita Bill, passed in the wake of the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last month, aims to strengthen the protection of women and children by revising and introducing new provisions relating to rape and sexual offences.

The bill proposes to amend the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act “as applied to the State of West Bengal to make penalties more stringent and to provide framework for expeditious investigation and trial of the heinous acts of violence against women and children”.

Commenting on the development, BJP IT chief Amit Malviya questioned the motives of the West Bengal chief minister.

In a post on X, Malviya said, “Mamata Banerjee cannot hide her criminal intentions behind the new anti-rape law passed in the West Bengal Assembly. Apart from being a desperate attempt to divert attention from the angry civil society protests against her following the rape and murder of the young doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, a closer look at the fine print of the law reveals that it is aimed at restricting the coverage of court proceedings in rape cases.”

“Why is Mamata Banerjee trying to silence the media? So much for freedom of speech and freedom of the press! Moreover, if Mamata Banerjee is really serious about fighting crimes against women, she should immediately apologise to the women of Sandeshkhali for defending Sheikh Shahjahan in the West Bengal Parliament. Also, she should publicly announce that Shahjahan will be the first rapist to be hanged under the new anti-rape law,” he added.

In particular, the bill provides for the death penalty for rapists if their acts result in the death of the victim or if the victim suffers severe brain damage.

The BJP's IT chief also condemned Mamata Banerjee for failing to set up fast track courts to deal with crimes against women and minor girls.

Malviya also shared a video on X saying, “Mamata Banerjee claims to have introduced the 'Ratri Saathi' scheme as a protection measure. But in reality, the question remains: protection for whom? The women or the TMC goons who exploit women to satisfy their carnal lust? Ratri Saathi is nothing but a draconian measure aimed at banishing women from workplaces, preventing them from taking up night shifts and leaving the darkness to the marauding TMC goons.”

“It is a brazen attempt to deprive women of their fundamental rights, restrict their freedom to work, limit their amenities and curtail their choices. This scheme is a blatant demonstration of Mamata Banerjee's penchant for perpetuating the evils of male chauvinism that afflicts the women of Bengal,” he added.

Malviya also said that at a time when the women of Bengal were waging a war against the chains of patriarchy, Mamata Banerjee chose to suppress their struggle.

“It offers no security, no empowerment, just a cowardly command: 'Women must not work at night.' This is not protection, it is pure and simple oppression. Shame on them! Women must take back what is rightfully theirs! Women must take back the night,” Malviya said.