Bengal's anti-rape bill passed amid Mamata vs BJP in assembly
The West Bengal Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed the "Aparajita" bill, an anti-rape legislation introduced by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's government. This makes West Bengal the first state to amend central laws related to rape, gang-rape, and sexual crimes against children. The bill will now be sent to West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose and then to President Droupadi Murmu for their assent.
What's in the Aparajita Bill
The "Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) 2024" proposes the death penalty for rape and sexual offenses if the perpetrator's actions result in the victim's death or leave her in a vegetative state. It also mandates a life sentence without parole for those convicted of rape. Banerjee described the bill as "historic" and a tribute to the 31-year-old trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical Centre last month.
Opposition support and proposed amendments
During the assembly session, Banerjee urged Leader of Opposition (LoP), Suvendu Adhikari, to encourage Governor Bose to approve the bill. She stated that "through this bill, we have tried to plug the loopholes that exist in the central legislation." The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcomed the bill but noted that the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) also contains stringent provisions for crimes against women and children. Adhikari proposed seven amendments to the bill, which were not accepted by the House.
Special assembly session and political demands
A two-day special session of the assembly was convened on Monday amid ongoing protests over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata in August. Banerjee also demanded resignations from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and chief ministers of states where incidents of rape and sexual abuse were recently reported for allegedly failing to implement effective legislations to safeguard women.
