The Centre has responded to a letter written by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the letter, she has highlighted the incidents of rape happening across the country in the case of the alleged rape of a female doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. The Centre said that West Bengal has been allotted 123 fast-track courts, but most of them are not yet functional.
In a letter to Chief Minister Banerjee, Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi criticised the West Bengal government for failing to implement key emergency helplines like Women Helpline (WHL), Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) and Child Helpline.
She strongly reprimanded the state for its inability to operationalise the Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) allotted under the centrally sponsored scheme despite the pendency of cases related to sexual offences.
The FTSC Scheme launched in October 2019 was aimed at expediting the trial and disposal of pending cases related to rape and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. He said, “The State of West Bengal has expressed its willingness to participate in the Scheme vide letter dated 08.06.2023, committing to start 7 FTSCs. Under the revised target, West Bengal has been allotted 17 FTSCs, out of which only 6 Special POCSO Courts have become operational as on 30.06.2024. Despite 48,600 cases of rape and POCSO being pending in West Bengal, the State Government has not taken any steps to start the remaining 11 FTSCS. Action in this regard is pending with the State Government.” The Minister urged the Government of West Bengal to take immediate and effective steps to eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls.
Last week, CM Banerjee had written to PM Modi, saying that around 90 rape cases are reported daily across the country. She said that such a serious and sensitive issue needs to be addressed in a comprehensive manner, including by making strict central laws providing for harsh punishment against those involved in such heinous crimes. On August 9, the victim’s body was found in the seminar hall of the Chest Department of the government hospital.
A civic volunteer named Sanjoy Roy was arrested in the case.