The alleged gangrape of a second-year student from a private medical college in Durgapur has triggered widespread outrage and a political war of words in West Bengal. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has slammed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her remarks suggesting that girls “should not go outside at night,” calling it an attempt to victim-shame the survivor.
BJP Slams Mamata’s Remarks
BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia strongly condemned Banerjee’s comments, calling her a “blot on womanhood.”
“Shameless @MamataOfficial a blot on womanhood, even more for being a CM. After RG Kar and Sandeshkhali, now this horrific case of rape — and instead of justice, she blames the victim,” he wrote on X.
Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar also criticised the Chief Minister, questioning whether she wanted women to “stay at home wearing burqas.”
“Earlier, when the RG Kar Medical College incident happened, the government advised companies to reduce night shifts for women. Now she says women shouldn’t go out at night. Does she want all women to wear burqas and stay home?” he said.
National Commission for Women Reacts
Archana Majumdar, member of the National Commission for Women (NCW), called the Chief Minister’s remark “absurd” and “regressive.”
“How can we say that a girl should stay locked in a room for 12 hours a day? Women work in hospitals, the IT sector, and everywhere equally to men. Today’s Indian women are winning Olympic medals and going to space. This statement is unacceptable,” she said.
She added that it is the chief minister’s responsibility to ensure women’s safety and strengthen laws to protect them, not restrict their freedom.
BJP Leaders Call Remarks ‘Insensitive’
BJP West Bengal secretary Priyanka Tibrewal called Banerjee’s comments “very insensitive,” accusing her of blaming the survivor instead of focusing on catching the accused.
“Instead of directing the police to arrest the culprits, she’s blaming the victim for stepping out of the hostel. This is pure victim-shaming,” Tibrewal said.
BJP MP Shankar Lalwani also condemned the incident, alleging that the state government has “completely failed to maintain law and order.”
“These kinds of incidents keep happening in Bengal. The situation is shameful. There is no law and order,” he said.
Mamata Banerjee Blames Media for ‘Distorting’ Statement
Amid mounting criticism, Mamata Banerjee clarified that her remarks were misinterpreted by the media.
“The media distorted my words. You ask me a question, I answer it, and then you distort it. Don’t play politics with this issue,” Banerjee said in Alipurduar.
Meanwhile, police confirmed that three accused have been arrested in connection with the Durgapur case and presented before the court. The investigation is ongoing.
Background of the Case
The survivor, a student from Odisha’s Balasore district, was allegedly raped by multiple men near a forested area outside the private medical college campus on Friday night. The incident took place when she stepped out with a friend for dinner. Police said the accused were identified with the help of CCTV footage and witness statements.
