Centre challenges Mamata Banerjee’s demand for stringent law in wake of Kolkata doctor tragedy
Following a recent letter from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urging the central government to enact tougher laws in response to the rape and murder of a young doctor in Kolkata, the Centre has issued a rebuttal, questioning the accuracy of her claims and defending the adequacy of existing legislation.
In her second letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi within a week, Mamata Banerjee had reiterated her call for more stringent national laws and expedited justice for serious crimes such as rape and murder. This appeal followed the high-profile case of a 31-year-old trainee doctor who was brutally assaulted and killed at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
In response, Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi criticized Banerjee’s assertions as “factually incorrect” and accused the West Bengal government of failing to implement necessary legal measures, specifically citing delays in establishing additional Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) dedicated to handling rape and POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) cases.
Devi’s letter highlighted that despite a backlog of 48,600 rape and POCSO cases in West Bengal, the state has not activated the 11 additional FTSCs that were proposed. She suggested that Banerjee’s letter was an attempt to “cover up delays” in addressing these critical legal infrastructures.
The Union Minister emphasized that the guidelines for FTSCs already mandate one judicial officer and seven support staff for the expeditious handling of rape and POCSO cases, and additional courts cannot be assigned to existing officers without disrupting their primary duties. Devi also noted that states have the option to hire additional judicial staff on a contract basis if needed.
Reiterating the robustness of current central laws, Devi argued that they are sufficient for addressing violence and crimes against women, provided they are implemented effectively by state governments. She urged Banerjee to focus on ensuring proper execution of existing legislation and improving the judicial processes at the state level.
Devi concluded by calling for better training and a proactive approach from all relevant officials to ensure that justice is delivered promptly and effectively, in line with the statutory deadlines.
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