CPI (M) miffed with BJP, TMC over insult to women

Strongly condemning the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rupa Ganguly and West Bengal Power Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay on their respective controversial statements, Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI (M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat on 15 July asserted that both the parties should stop insulting women of West Bengal also adding that rather than controlling the situation they are commenting and creating issues.

Speaking to ANI, Karat said, "I strongly criticize and condemn the statements of both the individual. It is the fact that the situation of the women in West Bengal is extremely grave as far as the security is concerned. To reduce such a serious issue which is prevailing in West Bengal- these kinds of statements this will not only insult women but trivialize the issue of rape. These remarks empowers those who make such objectionable statements against victims of rape and sexual assault. I would request these leaders of BJP and TMC to refrain from making such statement which are highly insulting to women and which trivialize this serious issue of increasing sexual assault".

BJP leader Rupa Ganguly said rather than considering the literal meaning, importance should be given to the subject matter itself.

"Don't go by the words; go by the feeling behind it. What Rupa said is not wrong. The situation of women is very bad in the state. The wordings used may have been altered, but her stance is not incorrect. She has spoken on what the situation is presently," BJP leader Rahul Sinha told ANI.

Lashing out Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's government, Sinha alleged it of 'aiding' the rapists and wrongdoers, adding that the former's 'Jungle Raj' should be exposed in public.

Earlier on Friday, Ganguly said if women are able to survive in Bengal for 15 days without getting raped, she would take back her statement.

"I dare all the parties, the ones who keep flattering the West Bengal Government and the Congress, to send their daughters, sisters-in-law, wives to Bengal, without taking any hospitality from Mamata Banerjee. If they are able to survive there for 15 days without getting raped then tell me," Ganguly told ANI.

Responding to this, state Power Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay asked Ganguly to reveal the number of times she had been raped in West Bengal before portraying a negative picture about the state.

"First of all, she should say how many times she has been raped in Bengal. Before accusing anything or anyone, she should reveal this. Then only the truth behind her statement will be realised," he told ANI.

Chattopadhyay said a sane person cannot use such a language about her own state.

To this regard, Sinha asserted that the party and its leaders have no right to speak about this, citing the infamous comment made by Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Tapas Paul.

"Tapas Paul openly said he will send people to get women raped. How come Mamata and Sobhandeb remained silent then? Why did they not take any action against him? They have no right to speak, since they are helping rapists and miscreants," he said.

West Bengal seems to have become the centre of chaos and violence, with demand of a separate Gorkhaland by the Gorkhas, giving rise to Darjeeling unrest, and the recent Basirhat violence, where communal clashes broke over a social media post.

-ANI