"State governments must act and urgently push the Union for comprehensive anti-rape law," says TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee

New Delhi [India], August 22 : Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday stated that the state governments must act and urgently push the centre for a comprehensive anti-rape law to ensure swift and strict justice. He further added that any step of a lesser gravity is tragically ineffective and merely symbolic.
Taking to social media platform X, Banerjee wrote, "Over the past 10 days, while the nation has been protesting against the #RGKarMedicalcollege incident and demanding justice, 900 RAPES have occurred across different parts of India - DURING THE VERY TIME WHEN PEOPLE WERE ON THE STREETS PROTESTING AGAINST THIS HORRIBLE CRIME. Sadly, a lasting solution still remains largely undiscussed."
"With 90 RAPES REPORTED DAILY, 4 EVERY HOUR AND 1 EVERY 15 MINUTES - the urgency for decisive action is clear. We need strong laws that mandate TRIALS & CONVICTIONS WITHIN 50 days, followed by the severest punishments, not just empty promises. State governments must act and urgently push the Union for a comprehensive anti-rape law that ensures swift and strict justice. Anything less is merely symbolic and tragically ineffective. WAKE UP INDIA!" he wrote further.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders lashed out at West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee over the death of a woman trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital alleging Mamata Banerjee of not taking appropriate action at the proper time.
BJP leader CR Kesavan stated that Mamata Banerjee has lost the confidence of the people of West Bengal.
He said "Mamata Banerjee has lost the confidence of the people of West Bengal and the country. Her continuation as the Chief Minister is undefendable. I think she should immediately resign in the best interest of the people of West Bengal. Today, the CBI is going to submit a status report. Many truths are going to come out. But what stands out is the role of the police which both the High Court and the Supreme Court have heavily come down. The way the police have mishandled and misused the situation. Right from the beginning, the High Court had very clearly said before it transferred the case to the CBI that the West Bengal police didn't take statements on record. They didn't file an FIR."
The Supreme Court on Tuesday constituted a 10-member National Task Force to make recommendations on the prevention of violence and safe working conditions for medical professionals. The task force includes Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, among others.
Days after the rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata sparked nationwide protests, the apex court suo motu took up the case and directed the task force to submit an interim report within three weeks and a final report within two months.
The top court also asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a status report on the status of the investigation in the rape case. The court asked the West Bengal government to file a status report on the mob attack incident in the RG Kar hospital on August 15.
On August 9, a postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered on duty at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, which has led to nationwide strikes and civil societies and doctors across States protested against the incident and demanded severe punishment to the accused persons and sought safety and security for themselves. The Kolkata Police arrested a civic volunteer the next day in this connection.