West Bengal Assembly tables anti-rape bill amid protests

The West Bengal government, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, tabled the ‘Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill 2024’ in the state Assembly today. The legislation, introduced by Law Minister Moloy Ghatak, aims to enhance protections for women and children by updating existing provisions and introducing new measures to combat rape and sexual offenses.

The bill proposes severe penalties, including the death penalty for those convicted of rape if their actions result in the victim’s death or leave her in a vegetative state. This move comes in the wake of widespread outrage following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RK Kar Medical College and Hospital.

While the bill has been welcomed by some, BJP MLA Shikha Chatterjee expressed cautious optimism. She praised the bill but pointed out that the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita already includes stringent laws against crimes targeting women. Chatterjee also criticized West Bengal for not contributing feedback during the national review of criminal laws earlier this year.

The state Assembly will convene for a two-day special session starting Monday to address the issue, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay slated to speak on the matter.