New Delhi

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan recently criticized the timing of West Bengal’s new anti-rape bill, suggesting it may be a diversion from the RG Kar Medical College incident. He pointed out that Madhya Pradesh implemented similar legislation in 2017, becoming the first state in India to enforce the death penalty for those convicted of raping girls aged 12 or younger.

Madhya Pradesh led the way in 2017 with this law, resulting in 42 death penalties for rapists. The introduction of this bill by Mamata Banerjee now seems like a distraction from the RG Kar case, Chouhan stated. He questioned why the bill wasn’t introduced sooner and called for the harshest penalties for those responsible for the RG Kar tragedy.

Chouhan also raised concerns about whether figures like Sheikh Shahjahan, accused of sexual harassment in Sandeshkhali, and would face consequences under the new law. Will people like Sheikh Shahjahan face the death penalty? He asked.

The West Bengal Assembly passed the ‘Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) 2024’ in response to the recent rape and murder of a trainee doctor. CM Mamata Banerjee defended the bill, emphasizing its role in safeguarding women’s dignity and criticizing the hasty passage of the Code of Justice Bill. She warned that mistreatment of Bengal could have wider repercussions.