Kolkata gangrape: In controversial remark, TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee says ‘What can be done if … ‘ | India News
NEW DELHI: Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kalyan Banerjee on Friday sparked controversy with his remark on the Kolkata law college rape case, saying, “What can be done if a friend rapes his friend?”Banerjee, who is also the MP from Serampore Lok Sabha constituency, further asked: “Will the police be there in schools? This was done by students to another student. Who will protect her (victim)?” The TMC leader, however, said that the accused should be arrested. “I am not an advocate into the incident that occurred at the Law College but the accused should be arrested. A few men commit this type of crime…But what can be done if a friend rapes his friend. Will the police be there in schools? This was done by students to another student. Who will protect her (victim)? This (South Calcutta Law College) is a government college. Will the police always be there?” Kalyan Banerjee told news agency ANI.In the incident at Kolkata law college, which is the eerily reminiscent of the gut-wrenching RG Kar case, a student was allegedly raped on the night of June 25 within the premises, leading to the arrest of three men, two students and a staff member who is also an alumnus of the institution. Police identified the accused as Manojit Mishra (31), Zaib Ahmed (19), and Pramit Mukhopadhyay alias Pramit Mukherjee (20).Kolkata Police on Thursday identified Manojit Mishra as a former president of the institution’s Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad unit and the organisational secretary of the south Kolkata wing of the TMC’s student body.Photographs of Mishra circulating in the public domain also show him in close proximity to several senior leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress.College authorities confirmed that Mishra had been working at the institute as a temporary non-teaching staff member on a 45-day renewable contractual basis. He is also a practising criminal lawyer at the Alipore Police and Sessions Court.The vice principal of the college, Dr Nayna Chatterji, said Mishra’s appointment was made “on the basis of a resolution passed by the governing body (GB) of the institute.”According to Kolkata Police, the alleged assault took place on June 25 inside a guard’s room located on the ground floor of the college, adjacent to the students’ union office.“Initial investigations revealed that the victim had reached the college in the afternoon to fill up certain academic forms after she was called by some people,” officials told news agency PTI.
