India has once again ignored the rapist and shifted blame onto the survivor, a young woman who had the courage to speak up after being raped on a college campus in Kolkata.
Commenting on the incident, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Madan Mitra outrageously suggested that girls should not go to college.
“This incident has sent a message to girls that if someone calls you when the college is closed offering you a position in the unit, then do not go, nothing good will come of it. If that girl had not gone there, this would not have happened,” the TMC leader was quoted as saying by ANI.
Continuing to victim-blame, he added: “If she had informed someone before going or had taken a couple of friends with her, then this would not have happened. The one who committed this dirty deed took advantage of the situation.”
This is not the first time TMC leaders have made such disturbing remarks. Earlier, party MP Kalyan Banerjee, already under fire for his ‘boys will be boys’ comment, said: “If a friend rapes a friend, how can you ensure security?”
It is pertinent to mention that the accused in this case is reportedly a leader of the Trinamool Congress’ student wing, TMCP. However, the party has tried to distance itself from the case.
Meanwhile, opposition parties have mounted pressure on the ruling TMC-led West Bengal government. They are demanding Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s resignation and stronger safety measures for women on campuses.
What happened in Kolkata?
A law student in Kolkata was raped by her seniors inside her college — a place meant to shape her future, not destroy it. According to her statement, the accused filmed the assault and used the footage to threaten her.
When she filed a complaint at Kasba police station, public anger poured into the streets. Protestors demanding justice were met with violence from the very state that failed to protect them. Many were injured as police cracked down, and several were detained and taken to the infamous Lalbazar headquarters.
Indian media reports say the accused are in custody until July 1st. But trust in the system is scarce.
This is not an isolated case. Just last year, a female doctor was found dead inside a Kolkata hospital. Her death triggered similar protests and similar inaction.
