India TV Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Rajat Sharma.
In West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee passed a law in the assembly to give death penalty to the accused of rape and murder. BJP supported it. In this law, it has been made mandatory to complete the investigation of rape cases within 21 days. Under this law called Aparajita Act 2024, an Aparajita Task Force will be formed in every district of Bengal, which will complete the investigation of rape and related cases in 21 days and punish the culprit. This task force will be headed by a DSP rank officer. If the task force is unable to complete the investigation in 21 days in any case, then the DSP will have to give the reason for it and if the reason is correct, then the task force will get a maximum extension of 15 days to complete the investigation. That is, in any case, the investigation in rape cases will be completed in 36 days. However, there is no provision in this bill that if there is an attempt to destroy evidence in a rape case, questions are also raised on the role of the police, then what action will be taken against the guilty policemen? If the police makes a mistake in registering a rape case, what action will be taken?
Leader of Opposition Shubhendu Adhikari suggested seven amendments in this bill, such as if a police officer refuses to register an FIR for rape, he should be given the harshest punishment, there should also be a provision for punishment for the medical officer who delays or is negligent in medical examination or postmortem. The investigating officer should be held responsible if evidence is destroyed. If the health officer who conducts the postmortem or medical examination changes his statement, there should also be a provision for punishment for him. Witnesses should get full protection from the government and the condition of completing the hearing of such cases in 30 days should also be added to the bill. The government did not accept Shubhendu Adhikari’s suggestions, rejected the amendments and got the bill passed. However, there is a provision in this bill that if the victim dies after rape or goes into coma, then the culprit will be sentenced to death. The rapists will be sentenced to life imprisonment and will not even be able to get parole after being sentenced. Under this law, there are provisions for providing full security to doctors and nurses, female doctors will have only 12 hours of night duty, and ensuring complete security of the route of movement of doctors and nurses. CCTV cameras will be installed all along the route. Mamata government has made a provision of Rs 100 crore for this.
During the discussion on the bill, Mamata Banerjee asked the BJP MLAs to ask the Governor to sign the bill as soon as possible so that women can get justice. Mamata Banerjee gave a long political speech in the assembly, saying that her resignation is being sought in the name of women’s safety, but in BJP-ruled states like UP, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, women are oppressed every day, how many Chief Ministers of these states have resigned? Mamata said that if resignations have to be given, then the Prime Minister and Home Minister of the country should resign. BJP also retaliated. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Chauhan asked Mamata Banerjee whether she would get Sandeshkhali don Shahjahan Sheikh, who oppressed women, hanged under this law? If Mamata cannot get criminals like Shahjahan Sheikh punished with the new law, then there is no point in making such laws.
Doctors of RG Kar Hospital, who are fighting to get justice for Kolkata’s doctor daughter, said on this bill of Mamata Banerjee that just making laws will not do anything because there are already many laws in the country, there is a need to implement the laws properly. Doctors said that Mamata Banerjee has brought a new bill out of fear of doctors’ protest. Doctors are not workers of any political party. What she said needs to be paid attention to. Because in 2012, a strict law was made against rapists. Before that there is the POCSO Act and there are many other laws. Therefore, it is true that if the laws are not implemented properly then what is the use of making a new law? Therefore, the most important thing is that Mamata Banerjee’s government should create people’s trust in the system. By the way, Mamata made a good law, a strict law. This law will open the way to give severe punishment to those who commit crimes against women in Bengal, but the fear of it will arise only when two-four criminals will get death penalty without delay under this law. It is not right for BJP to say that Mamata introduced this bill under compulsion because BJP also supported this law under compulsion. Similarly, if Mamata Banerjee had not attacked Modi while introducing this bill, the entire focus would have remained on the safety of women. When Mamata attacked Modi, Shivraj Singh Chauhan reminded her of Shahjahan Sheikh. (Rajat Sharma)
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