Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee's remarks on the rape of a 24-year-old student at South Calcutta Law College have triggered sharp condemnation by the opposition BJP in West Bengal. Banerjee, the MP from Sreerampur, responded to queries about the case with comments that were described as "disgraceful" by the BJP.
"What can be done if a friend rapes his friend. Will the police be in schools? This was done by one student to another. Who will protect her (victim)?" Banerjee asked, adding, "Who does all this criminality and molestation? Some men do it. So, who should women fight against? Women should fight against these perverted men."
BJP condemns TMC MP's remarks
The remarks have drawn criticism for appearing to deflect institutional accountability. Mr Banerjee refused to address links between the main accused and the Trinamool Congress's student wing, insisting that crime was not confined to any party or organisation.
"I am saying the same thing again and again. Whoever has done it must be arrested immediately. But if a friend rapes a friend, how can that be corruption?" Mr Banerjee said.
Kolkata gangrape: Victim's Allegations
Banerjee's comments come amid an investigation into the alleged gang-rape of a first-year law student inside the South Calcutta Law College premises Wednesday evening. According to the police complaint filed by the survivor, she was lured into a guard's room next to the student union office by three men -- Monojit Mishra, a 31-year-old former student and practising criminal lawyer, and two current students, Zaib Ahmed (19) and Pramit Mukhopadhyay (20).
The survivor alleges she was locked in the room and sexually assaulted by Mishra while the other two stood by and assisted. Her statement describes being hit on the head with a hockey stick, begging for an inhaler during a panic attack, and being threatened with death if she spoke out.
Medical examination has corroborated her account, with doctors noting signs of physical assault, bite marks, scratches, and evidence of forced penetration.
The three accused were arrested and remanded to police custody for four days. Their mobile phones have been seized, and investigators are analysing them for possible video recordings of the assault, as the survivor has alleged she was filmed during the attack.
Political Reactions
While police action moved quickly, political controversy intensified after the survivor's complaint identified one of the accused -- Mishra -- as a person with links to the ruling TMC. "He is an ex-student and unofficial head of the college TMCP unit. Everyone listened to him," her statement reads.
Photos have emerged of Mishra with senior Trinamool figures, including MP Abhishek Banerjee and state Health Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya.
The BJP released several photographs showing Mishra at party events and labelled the incident a direct result of "political protection for rapists." Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari called for state-wide protests and challenged the government to break its silence on party links.
TMC's Damage Control
Trinamool leaders have attempted to contain the fallout. At a press conference Friday evening, Bengal Women and Child Development Minister Shashi Panja said: "We don't want to politicise the pain of a woman. The police have acted. The accused will not be spared, irrespective of affiliation."
