Durgapur Gangrape: Victim's Father Says Mamata Banerjee Like His Mother

Durgapur: The father of the gang rape victim said he had sent his daughter to West Bengal hoping to see her become a doctor. But now he has decided to ensure his daughter leaves the state.

He said, "I want a proper investigation into the incident. The culprits should be severely punished for what happened to my daughter. We will leave Bengal for Odisha as soon as possible. We will never come back. No other girl from Bengal should be a victim of a predator like my daughter."

He added, "I have been saying since yesterday that a CBI probe into this incident would be ideal. But that depends on the Bengal government. Mamata didi is like my mother. Millions of kudos to her. If I have done something wrong, please forgive me as a son. Just try to give justice to my daughter. She is not just my daughter, but the daughter of India. If I have said anything wrong about Mamata didi, please forgive me as a son," the victim girl's father said in a choking voice.

The police have already arrested six people in the gang rape case. The alleged boyfriend of the victim was also arrested on Tuesday evening. The accused was taken into 10-day police custody on Wednesday on the orders of the Durgapur Subdistrict Court judge.

Meanwhile, the BJP has been staging a dharna for six days in the city centre opposite the Asansol-Durgapur Development Board building after the incident. Even after all the accused were nabbed by the police, questions were raised within the saffron camp about the rationale behind continuing the dharna.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Trinamool West Burdwan district president Narendranath Chakraborty has also entered the political fray by using the state government's Aparajita Bill as a shield.

The victim's friend Wasif Ali was produced before the Durgapur Subdistrict Court by the Durgapur Commissionerate police at around 3 pm on Wednesday. But like the five accused arrested earlier in the case, no lawyer wanted to appear in court on Wasif's behalf. In this situation, the judge ordered the arrested person to be remanded in police custody for 10 days.

However, according to court sources, as per Article 22(1) of the Indian Constitution and Section 41(d) of the Indian Penal Code, lawyer Puja Kurmi of the Durgapur Subdivision Legal Aid Cell can appear in court later in support of the arrested person.

Puja Kurmi said, "No lawyer of the Durgapur Subdivision Court has appeared in court as the lawyer of any accused person in this case. But as per the orders of the highest court of the country, legal aid must be provided to any accused person. Following that order, as a lawyer of the Sub-Divisional Legal Aid Cell, I have to appear in support of the arrested person."

A lawyer from Durgapur Sub-district Court, who did not wish to be named, said, "It is necessary for the criminals to be punished according to law in such a heinous crime. Therefore, all the lawyers of the court have decided together that no one will plead in this case as a personal lawyer of any accused in the court."

On the other hand, after the incident, the BJP has been holding a dharna for six days demanding the arrest and strict punishment of the accused. A section of the saffron camp has raised questions about this. According to them, all the accused in this incident have already been caught.

Trinamool Congress West Burdwan district president Narendranath Chakraborty appealed to the BJP leadership and said, "I request the BJP leaders that they should also appeal to the Central government for the implementation of the Aparajita Bill that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is trying to implement for exemplary punishment of rapists. Our India is a matriarchal civilization. If any mother or sister is a victim in our state, everyone should appeal to the Centre to bridge the political divide and pass the Aparajita Bill so that the rapists are given exemplary punishment and the torture of mothers and sisters is stopped forever."

Also Read

Bengal Governor Files Report On Durgapur Gangrape To President, Home Ministry: Official