Rijiju Slams Mamata Over Old Letter Seeking Fast-Track Courts For Rape Cases: 'Ignored Most Sacred Duty...'

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju's statement against West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee comes a day after the state anti-rape Bill was passed in the West Bengal Assembly.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju slammed West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee over an old letter seeking fast-track courts for rape cases.

Source : PTI

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday over an old letter sent to her government seeking Fast Track Special Courts (FTSC) for cases of rape and those registered under the POCSO Act.

In the letter dated, November 11, 2018, Rijiju sought the Mamata Banerjee government's intervention in the establishment of FTSCs for quick trial and disposal of pending rape and POCSO Act cases in West Bengal. 

In the letter, it was stated that 123 FTSCs including 20 ePOCSO Courts were earmarked for the state of West Bengal but the consent by the state government was not received.

Sharing the letter on Wednesday, Rijiju said he felt "sad" that the West Bengal CM ignored her "most sacred duty" of providing quick justice for women and children.

I feel sad that Chief Minister of West Bengal ignored her most sacred duty of providing quick Justice for women & children. This letter of 2021 clearly shows it.
In 2018, a stringent law was passed by- Parliament to deal with heinous crimes like Rape.. State Govts must act ! pic.twitter.com/fTE5vXkVFD

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) September 4, 2024

"I feel sad that the Chief Minister of West Bengal ignored her most sacred duty of providing quick Justice for women & children. This letter of 2021 clearly shows it," said the Union Minister in a post on X. 

He stressed the matter as "extremely serious" and urged not to make it a political issue. " Very strong laws are necessary but strong actions are more important. When the letter was written, media had carried this news extensively, but West Bengal Govt failed to act," he said. 

His statement comes a day after the West Bengal Assembly unanimously passed the state anti-rape Bill.  

The proposed 'Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill 2024' seeks capital punishment for rape convicts if their actions result in the victim's death or leave her in a vegetative state and life sentence without parole for other perpetrators.