The BJP has decided to oppose the Bill for capital punishment in rape cases, likely to be tabled by the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal Assembly on Monday.
On the eve of the two-day special session of the Assembly called to pass a Bill on stringent punishment for rape convicts, BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul told The Indian Express that the Bills is being tabled by the TMC government “to hide their failures”.
“Already, the Central government has a law against rape and murder. In that law, the provision for capital punishment is there. The Centre has framed it and directed the state governments to set up fast-track courts. This state government (TMC government) did not set up fast-track courts. Instead, the Chief Minister falsely announced that trial would be conducted in a fast-track court. Basically, the state government is bringing this law to suppress their failures,” said Paul.
“We are not against capital punishment but we are asking what was the need to bring such a Bill when the Central Government already has passed such a law.” the BJP MLA added.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya said, “Any state Assembly can’t bring in such a Bill. They can only urge or request the Central government. It is not only detrimental to the Indian Constitution, it is also challenging the authority of President of India.”
It is not clear that what are provisions the West Bengal government is planning to bring.
“We already have a law against rape and murder, which has the provision to give capital punishment. We are trying to bring a separate law that will have provision of capital punishment only. And all rape cases should be tried in a fast-track court. That is every rape convict will be hanged,” a senior official of the state government said.
“In the wake of RG Kar Hsopital incident, this Bill is being brought. But we are not clear either the state can bring such Bill or not. We are not also clear that, whether the Central government (RBI) will accept the bill or not,” the official added.
Meanwhile, the BJP demanded Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s resignation, asserting that she had failed to ensure the safety and security of women, making West Bengal the most unsafe state in the country.
Taking to his social media handle on X, BJP’s IT cell head Amit Malviya highlighted the alleged molestation of a nurse in a Birbhum hospital, a minor girl in a Howrah hospital, and another minor girl in North 24 Parganas over the past 24 hours. “What will it take for Mamata Banerjee, the Health Minister of Bengal, to resign, so that men who are assaulting women with impunity and feeling protected start fearing the law,” he asked.
BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said, “One incident after another is taking place in West Bengal… She (Mamata Banerjee) must resign.”
Click here to join The Indian Express on WhatsApp and get latest news and updates