After West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote a second letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reiterating her demand for stricter central legislation and harsher penalties for heinous crimes such as rape and murder in the wake of the Kolkata doctor’s rape and murder case, the central government responded by asserting that existing laws are already stringent enough to address violence and crimes against women. In a follow-up letter to Banerjee, Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi urged the West Bengal government to implement these laws “in letter and spirit.”
Annapurna Devi claimed that the information in Banerjee’s letter was “factually incorrect” and suggested that it was an attempt to “cover up delays” in the activation of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) in the state. Devi pointed out that the state government has not yet operationalized an additional 11 FTSCs designed specifically to handle rape and POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses) cases.
Banerjee’s recent letter to Prime Minister Modi, which followed national outrage over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9, called for mandatory time-bound disposal of rape and rape-murder cases. Devi highlighted that despite a backlog of 48,600 rape and POCSO cases in West Bengal, the state has not activated the additional FTSCs that are either dedicated exclusively to POCSO cases or combined FTSCs for both rape and POCSO cases, as required.
Devi further criticized Banerjee’s call for posting permanent judicial officers to FTSCs, stating that the scheme guidelines stipulate one judicial officer and seven staff members per FTSC specifically for handling rape and POCSO cases. The Union Minister clarified that FTSCs cannot be assigned to existing judicial officers or court staff, a point that had already been communicated to West Bengal.
The Union Minister emphasized that central government laws are comprehensive and sufficient to address violence and crimes against women. She urged the state government to adhere to these central legislations rigorously to strengthen the criminal justice system, hold perpetrators accountable, and ensure justice for victims. Devi also called for improved sensitization and a positive approach from all duty holders to ensure proper case handling and adherence to statutory timelines.
