Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s belated bid to soothe the family of a murdered gang rape victim in North 24 Parganas yesterday turned sour when she lost her cool after facing noisy protests from villagers.
Banerjee rebuked protesters as “CPI-M people” when some women shouted slogans about the lack of security while she was leaving after visiting the gang rape victim’s family at Kamduni village near Barasat, 25km from here, 10 days after the incident.
She even said the perpetrators of the crime were goons patronised by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).
“Stop this CPI-M politics. I know you all are their people and even those who have been arrested for the gang rape are CPI-M people. These goons enjoy the support of the CPI-M,” Banerjee said.
She said her government would seek the death penalty for the accused and the case would be fast-tracked. However, the victim’s family and villagers who have been protesting ever since the incident, seeking the chief minister’s visit, were left complaining about not being allowed to apprise Banerjee of their grievances.
“She enquired about my health, but before I could say anything she left. What’s the use of her visit if the man who has lost his dear daughter in such a tragic manner cannot state his grievances,” the victim’s father, a mason, said.
“We have been protesting all these days, wanting to talk to her. But today, when she visited, she did not allow us to talk to her. Instead, she called us CPI-M people. We have nothing to do with politics,” a woman villager said.
Banerjee’s outburst drew flak from members of the public and the CPI-M alike.
“Criminals have only one colour: black. They are neither red nor green. It is not desirable for the chief minister to give political colour to such heinous criminals,” said social activist Bolan Ganguly.
“Mamata Banerjee blaming CPI-M for the Barasat rape is callous and disgusting. The blame game over the incident is completely preposterous,” CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury said.
IANS
