Trinamool’s Shashi Panja vs former Women Commission chief Rekha Sharma over rape-murder of Kolkata doctor

New Delhi:

The rape-murder of a young doctor in Kolkata that has sent the country into a storm has now turned into a full-blown political controversy, with Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress going toe-to-toe with the former chief of the National Women’s Commission. Rekha Sharma, who had earlier in the day slammed Trinamool, alleging that women are not safe in Bengal and calling for President’s Rule in the state, drew a sharp response from party MP Shashi Panja.

Rekha Sharma, Ms Panja said, “should be the last to talk about women’s safety”.

“During her tenure as NCW leader, she was biased to the highest level, spoke negatively about opposition-ruled states and ignored crimes committed in BJP-ruled states,” the NP said.

Then, referring to Sandeshkhali — the last major political confrontation between the BJP and Trinamool over alleged sexual exploitation of women by a local Trinamool strongman — she said, “How can anyone forget her role in Sandeshkhali? She was one of the key conspirators and sold Sandeshkhali’s dignity for Rs 2,000 so that her masters in the BJP can reap political benefits.”

Several women from Sandeshkhali later alleged that they had been duped by local BJP leaders into filing complaints of sexual abuse against Trinamool leaders. The Trinamool alleged that Ms Sharma was also involved and had encouraged the women to file false complaints.

Earlier today, Ms Sharma had stated that the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case should have been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation on day one.

“I have a question for West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee where are women safe in West Bengal?… There is a big question mark on the functioning of the police… Women are not safe in West Bengal and Presidential Rule should be imposed in West Bengal. The West Bengal government is not capable of saving the women of the state. The central government should step in,” Ms Sharma said.

The case was transferred to the CBI today by the Calcutta High Court, days ahead of the deadline promised by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
“The present case is a special one. There should be no further loss of time. There may be tampering of evidence,” the court said, pointing out several anomalies, including the transfer of RG Kar Hospital director Sandip Ghosh hours after his dismissal.

According to the court, the hospital management committed serious shortcomings in its response after the doctor was found dead in the seminar room on Friday morning.

Initially, the case was ruled a suicide, despite the fact that the doctor was found with her clothes in disarray and with multiple injuries.