Team News Riveting
Kolkata, September 3
The West Bengal Assembly on Tuesday passed the state’s new anti-rape legislation unanimously.
It is for the first time in the country when a state government has proposed to bring a Bill on strict anti-rape law. The Assembly session witnessed a ruckus when the government tabled the Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024 on Tuesday.
The proposed legislation seeks capital punishment for persons convicted of rape if their actions result in the victim’s death or leave the victim in a vegetative state. It also seeks to limit reporting of court proceedings in rape cases, which gains significance since the Bengal government has received flak from high court and Supreme Court judges over the handling of the RG Kar case.
Since both the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court have live-streamed the proceedings, the clips have gone viral on social media adding to the Bengal government’s discomfort.
“The anti-rape bill aims at quick investigation, fast justice delivery and enhanced punishment,” Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in the assembly. She highlighted Unnao and Hathras incidents to underline crimes against women in BJP-ruled states.
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari raised the slogan ‘dofa ek, dabi ek, mukyomontrir podotyag’ (one point, one demand, chief minister’s resignation) on the floor of the House. The slogan has been a war cry in many protests that have erupted against the rape and murder of a young doctor in the state-run RG Kar Medical College & Hospital.
Adhikari pointed out that the rape-murder happened inside a government-run hospital’s premises and when the victim was on government duty. He mentioned that even the doctors’ association of Pakistan had come out with a statement saying the Bengal government had brought shame to the country and was trying to wriggle out from it via this bill.
Adhikari sought amendments in the bill demanding strict punishments for officers if allegations of evidence tampering were found to be true, and if investigating officers changed their statements. He also asked that the bill should stipulate a 30-day deadline for punishment.
The bill will now go to the Governor for his consent to make it an Act. Sources said the Governor would seek Union law ministry’s opinion before taking the final decision.
