Artists, activists voice concern over Hanskhali rape case, ask CM to ensure women's safety

We are upset over the recent comments by the chief minister: Letter

Mamata Banerjee

TT Bureau, PTI   |   Calcutta   |   16.04.22  : Several prominent personalities have voiced outrage over the alleged gang rape and subsequent death of a 14-year-old girl in West Bengal's Nadia district and urged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to take necessary action to instill confidence among people, especially women.

A letter signed by theatre personality Bibhas Chakraborty, actors Kaushik Sen and Riddhi Sen, human rights activist Bolan Gangopadhyay among others said, apart from the incident in Nadia's Hanskhali, there had been reports of few other incidents of attacks on women "which bring to focus the safety and security issues of women and children."

"We urge the head of the state to bring transparency into the work of administration and police. We are of the view that any interference by the party at the local level into administrative and police action be stopped immediately," the signatories said in the open letter addressed to the chief minister on Thursday.

The letter added, "We are upset over the recent comments by the chief minister."

Bibhas Chakraborty told reporters on Friday there should not be any effort by anyone in the ruling party to suppress such an incident like Hanskhali or try to make light of it.

"We want to hear outright condemnation of the incident from the chief minister.

Kaushik Sen said, "We are shattered. We wish the chief minister shows more sensitivity toward the victims and takes exemplary steps against the guilty. "There should not be any impression that perpetrators of such crime will get any kind of support."

Mamata had flagged the issue of the girl's death on April 11, a day after the incident came to light, and said though the police were yet to understand the cause of the minor's death, they had been asked to take all necessary steps to bring out the truth and arrest the guilty.

"Will you call it rape or was she pregnant? Was it (the fallout of) a love affair? Have you enquired about these? This is an unfortunate incident," Banerjee had said at an event organised by the state government.

"The girl's family also conducted the last rites of the body. I am talking as a layman. From where will they (police) get the evidence whether she was raped or she was pregnant or there was any other reason such as being slapped by someone after which she fell ill," Mamata had said.

The Class 9 student died hours after returning sick from the birthday party of a man, allegedly the son of a panchayat member, on April 4, and her family filed an FIR against the accused five days later on April 9 at Hanskhali police station leading to his arrest.

The CBI took over the investigation of the incident from the police early this week. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh on Friday said the state government will show zero tolerance for any crime, including those against women.

"The Hanskhali incident is being probed by CBI as ordered by the high court and we want the investigation to be completed expeditiously and the guilty punished. Our chief minister has unequivocally condemned the incident, Ghosh said.