BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan hit out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, reminding the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief that there were powerful provisions in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to give the strictest punishments to perpetrators of crime against women and children.
This comes after Banerjee on Friday wrote to PM Modi, reiterating her request for stringent central legislation and exemplary punishment on heinous crimes like rape and murder.
In a hard-hitting response, in a video message on August 31, Kesavan said, “Like an embarrassing and self-defeating hit wicket in Cricket or a self-goal in Football, Mamata Banerjee’s letter has totally exposed her dishonesty and also completely exposed her Himalayan failure in implementing the strong, robust legal network provided by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Central government for women’s protection and women’s safety.”
The alleged murder and sexual assault of a female trainee doctor on August 9 at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata has triggered a war of words between the BJP, with the latter demanding the resignation of Mamata Banerjee.
He said that BNS is one of the most comprehensive central legislations, in response to Mamata’s request for stringent central legislation.
“The West Bengal CM talks about a stringent central law. Who is she trying to hoodwink? The BNS is one of the most comprehensive central legislations. It has such powerful provisions which give the strictest punishments to perpetrators of crimes against women and children. Mamata Banerjee says that there is no central law. She talks about the need for mandated provisions to dispose of cases within a timeframe,” he further added in his message.
He also accused Mamata Banerjee of a delay in transferring the case to CBI.
The BJP leader added, “Ironic that, CM who could have transferred the case within the first week to the CBI and which could have proved very decisive in giving justice in this case (RG Kar rape-murder) talks about disposing of a case in time provisions…”
The case has been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation from the local police following an order from the Calcutta High Court.
The trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.