Kolkata Doctor’s Rape-Murder: Hours after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sent a second letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, urging for stricter central legislation and exemplary punishment for heinous crimes like rape and murder in light of the Kolkata doctor’s tragic case, the Centre responded, asserting that current laws are already stringent enough to address violence against women.
In a reply letter to Mamata Banerjee, Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi criticized the West Bengal government’s handling of the situation. She stated that the information provided in Banerjee’s letter was “factually incorrect” and accused the state government of attempting to “cover up delays” in the operationalization of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) within the state. Annapurna Devi pointed out that the state had failed to operationalize 11 additional FTSCs, which are intended to deal specifically with cases of rape and POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences).
Banerjee had recently written to PM Modi following widespread outrage over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. In her letter, she emphasized the need for mandatory, time-bound disposal of cases related to rape and murder.
However, Annapurna Devi highlighted that despite the backlog of 48,600 pending rape and POCSO cases in West Bengal, the state had not operationalized the additional FTSCs as required. She reiterated that the state’s failure to do so could not be ignored, especially in light of the severity of the crimes.
Responding to Banerjee’s call for permanent judicial officers in FTSCs, Devi explained that the guidelines for the FTSC scheme clearly provide for the assignment of one judicial officer and seven staff members exclusively for handling rape and POCSO cases. She emphasized that these positions should not be filled by assigning additional charges to existing judicial officers or staff, and suggested that the state engage judicial officers and court staff on a contractual basis if necessary.
Devi further stated that the central government’s existing laws are comprehensive and stringent enough to address violence and crimes against women. She urged the West Bengal government to implement these laws “in letter and spirit” to strengthen the criminal justice system, ensure that perpetrators are held accountable, and secure justice for victims and survivors.
“I once again request you to ensure the proper sensitization and positive approach of all duty holders at appropriate levels to ensure the proper handling of cases with due care and attention to bring finality as per the timelines prescribed under the statutes,” Annapurna Devi concluded in her letter.
