West Bengal becomes first in India to amend Central laws on rape and sexual assault

West Bengal became the first state to introduce amendments to Central laws dealing with offences of rape, gang-rape, and sexual assault after the Assembly, on September 3 unanimously passed an anti-rape ‘Aparajita’ bill.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee termed the bill ‘historic’ and ‘model’, calling it a tribute to the 31-year-old trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at the government-run RG Kar Medical Centre and Hospital last month.

The bill, titled the 'Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) 2024, provides for the death penalty for rape and sexual offences.

While speaking on the bill, Mamata Banerjee asked Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari to urge state Governor CV Ananda Bose to grant his assent to the bill.

"Through this bill, we have tried to plug the loopholes that exist in the central legislation. Rape is a curse against humanity, social reforms are required to stop such crimes," she said.

"We want justice from CBI, death by hanging of the guilty," she added.

"Crime rates against women in states like UP, Gujarat are abnormally high. While tortured women in West Bengal are getting justice in court. West Bengal was not consulted before passing BNS, we wanted discussions on it after the new government formation," Mamata Banerjee said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcomed the bill, but added that the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) also has all the stringent provisions to deal with crime against women and children.