'Lock-up TMC leaders after 8 pm to curb rape cases': BJP mocks Mamata over Durgapur gang-rape remarks

Kolkata, Oct 15 (IANS) Amid the controversy surrounding West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's remarks on women's safety following the recent Durgapur gang-rape of a medical student, the West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party has initiated a satirical campaign targeting the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leadership.

In a scathing attack, the BJP claimed that shutting Trinamool Congress offices by 8 p.m. and confining their leaders at home overnight could help reduce rape cases in West Bengal.

Taking a jibe on X, the party claimed that if Mamata Banerjee shut down Trinamool Congress offices and confined party leaders to their homes after 8 p.m., rape cases in West Bengal would drop by 90 per cent.

Amplifying the statement, BJP IT Cell chief and West Bengal in-charge Amit Malviya added, “This post sums up everything that’s wrong with Mamata Banerjee. She must GO!”

Hitting back, the TMC asserted that the BJP should deal with rape incidents in its own states before lecturing Trinamool leaders.

The BJP campaign directly accuses TMC leaders of being involved, either directly or indirectly, in crimes against women in the state.

The post also hits out at Mamata Banerjee’s comment that women should not step out at night -- a remark she made while speaking about the Durgapur gang-rape case.

The campaign goes a step further, mocking the Chief Minister for her false claim that the victim, a Dalit second-year medical student, had left her college campus at 12.30 a.m., even though the institution later confirmed she had departed at 8 p.m.

BJP spokesperson Shatorupa told IANS that connections between TMC leaders and the perpetrators were evident in the previous cases, citing the Hanskhali minor girl rape, RG Kar rape, and murder of a junior doctor, and the Kasba Law College rape incident.

“In several crimes against women, relatives and close associates of TMC leaders have been involved,” he alleged, adding, “This establishes the party’s links to such offences. Therefore, instead of advising women not to venture out at night, the ruling party’s leaders should be asked to stay home after 8 p.m. to prevent such crimes.”

Echoing this sentiment, senior BJP leader and former national secretary Rahul Sinha told IANS that TMC leaders "have unleashed a reign of terror on women."

“There is only one way to change this -- by removing the TMC government from power. Unless there is a change in government, the situation will remain the same,” he added.

The West Bengal Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, also recently claimed that the father of one of the arrested accused in the Durgapur case is a TMC cadre.

Criticising Mamata Banerjee’s remarks about women going out at night, the BJP leader said that the CM's remarks reflected the grim state of women’s safety in West Bengal.

“The situation is so pathetic that even Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is asking women not to venture out at night. We believe that unless the TMC is ousted from Bengal, women will continue to remain unsafe on the streets,” he stated.

Reacting to the BJP’s allegations, TMC spokesperson Arup Chakraborty asked BJP leaders to first address the rising incidents of rape in BJP-ruled states before commenting on West Bengal.

“In Odisha, women are being raped on sea beaches. Multiple such incidents are being reported from there and other BJP-ruled states. Why don’t they talk about that? Similar cases have occurred in Hathras, Unnao, and other places. Should BJP leaders in Uttar Pradesh be asked to stay home? The BJP is clearly politicising the Durgapur gang-rape case. The police have already arrested all five accused promptly,” he added.

--IANS

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