New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written a second letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing concern over the lack of response to her earlier appeal for stronger legislation on rape and murder in the wake of a trainee doctor’s rape and murder in Kolkata.
In her latest letter, a copy of which she posted on her X (earlier Twitter) handle, Banerjee urged the central government to introduce stringent laws to combat the rising cases of sexual violence in the country.
She added, “I am of the thought that the seriousness of the subject and its relevance to the society have not been adequately appreciated while sending out this generic reply.”
In a letter addressed to the Bengal Chief Minister, Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi had sharply criticised the state government for failing to implement crucial measures for the safety of women and children.
Pushing back against the criticism, Banerjee defended the state’s efforts. “10 exclusive Pocso courts have been approved by the State Government,” she wrote.
“In addition to this, 88 FTSCs (fast track special courts) and 62 Pocso designated courts are functioning throughout the State on complete State funding. Monitoring and disposal of cases is completely in the hands of the courts,” she added.
Banerjee also addressed concerns about the functionality of fast-track courts in the state. She noted that, according to central government guidelines, only retired judicial officers can be appointed as presiding officers in FTSCs. However, she added that the High Court has observed that due to the severity of the cases, permanent judicial officers need to be posted, a matter that requires examination by the Government of India. “Your intervention would be necessary,” Banerjee wrote.
In response to the criticism of the lack of emergency helplines, Banerjee stated, “Helpline Nos. 112 and 1098 are satisfactorily working in the state. In addition, Dial 100 is also extensively used in emergency situations.”
In her first letter to the PM last week, the Bengal Chief Minister requested him to create a tough central law to punish rapists. In addition, she called for the establishment of fast-track special courts to ensure speedy trials and deliver swift justice to victims.
In her initial letter, Banerjee highlighted the “bounden duty” of lawmakers to collectively fight against the scourge of rape and the subsequent murder of victims, which occurs in many cases.
