West Bengal gang-rape case: CM asks why student was out after midnight, BJP alleges victim-blaming
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday asked why the medical student in Durgapur who was allegedly gang-raped on October 10 went out of her hostel after midnight, The Indian Express reported.
The chief minister’s remarks sparked a sharp backlash, with the Bharatiya Janata Party accusing her of victim-blaming.
The second-year MBBS student at a private college in Durgapur was allegedly gang-raped near the campus after she went out with a male friend. The police have arrested three men and are searching for two others.
Addressing the media on Sunday, Banerjee questioned as to whose responsibility it was to ensure the safety of the students at the college.
“How did she come out at 12.30 am?,” The Indian Express quoted Banerjee as saying. “As far as I know, it happened in the jungle. I don’t know what happened at 12.30. The investigation is ongoing.”
The Trinamool Congress leader said that private colleges must strengthen security and supervision.
“Especially when it’s a girl student, she should not be allowed to go out at night,” she was quoted as saying. “We have zero tolerance here for such crimes.”
Banerjee also appealed to students from other states to avoid stepping out at night.
“See, it is everyone’s right to go out when and wherever they want, but it is also a fact that police cannot...
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