Bengal minister calls Kolkata law college gang-rape ‘small incident’, then clarifies as BJP targets CM Mamata Banerjee

Bengal minister calls Kolkata law college gang-rape ‘small incident’, then clarifies as BJP targets CM Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal minister Manas Bhunia is the latest Trinamool Congress leader to stir a controversy over the Kolkata law student gang-rape case by allegedly terming the crime as a "small incident".

Bengal minister Manas Bhunia clarified his remark, which he said were misrepresented, and said that it was an attempt to malign and defame him. (X/@AITCOfficial)

Earlier, TMC leaders Madan Mitra and Kalyan Banerjee had trivialised the gang-rape of the first-year law student on the premises of the South Calcutta Law College on June 25.

The Bharatiya Janata Party came down heavily on the ruling TMC for the remarks made by its leaders and even called the Mamata Banerjee-led party a "protector of rapists".

BJP West Bengal co-incharge Amit Malviya on Tuesday shared a video clip of state irrigation minister Manas Bhunia's purported statement on X.

"As the entire nation reels in horror over the unspeakable brutality inflicted upon the 24-year-old law aspirant, TMC leaders are busy normalising rape to earn brownie points from their political boss — Mamata Banerjee," Amit Malviya wrote.

He further stated that first, it was TMC MLA Madan Mitra, who blamed the victim for her fate. Then it was sitting was MP Kalyan Banerjee who asked, "What can be done if a friend rapes a friends?"

"Now, State Irrigation Minister Manas Bhunia, another face of this depraved regime, brushed off the atrocity as a “small incident” and urged party workers to ignore it and move forward — drawing strength from Mamata Banerjee’s silence and tacit approval," the BJP leader added.

Malviya said the survivor paid the price for her aspirations, "she was shattered, brutalised, and filmed by TMC student leaders".

Prime accused Monojit Mishra, arrested in the gang-rape of the 24-year-old student, is an alumnus of the law college and was associated with the student wing of Mamata Banerjee's party, Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP).

The BJP leader said, "This is not just a crime. It is symptomatic of a party that has institutionalised misogyny."

Lastly Malviya described what he called Mamata Banerjee's Bengal and said, "Where a woman's dignity is expendable, as long as the rapist chants the right political slogan."

The Trinamool Congress has, however, slammed the BJP over the clip they shared of Manas Bhunia's remarks, saying that the latter has launched a “full-scale smear campaign”.

It said an excerpt from the state minister's speech was "maliciously" taken out of context, "misquoted and circulated to mislead viewers about the Kasba incident".

Manas Bhunia also issued a clarification over his remarks, strongly condemning the gang-rape incident.

"Our party strongly condemns the Kasba incident. I, Manas Bhunia, also strongly condemn it. The police have taken prompt action and made immediate arrests. Our Chief Minister does not tolerate such incidents. I would like to clarify that my previous comments were not related to the Kasba incident. They have been misrepresented and linked to the unfortunate incident in an attempt to malign and defame me. I reiterate - I strongly condemn this incident," Bhunia said.

The Mamata Banerjee-led party added that the BJP should know that defamation comes with consequences. "No matter how loud the lies, truth will prevail," it added.