‘Girls shouldn’t be allowed out. Where is evidence? Was she having an affair?’: A history of Mamata Banerjee’s misogynistic remarks in rape cases

On October 10, 2025, a 23-year-old girl, a student of second year MBBS, was gang-raped in Durgapur, West Bengal, India. The location was just 170 km from the capital city of Kolkata. The girl was studying in a private medical college. In this case, the Chief Minister of Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, said that the survivor should have protected herself and not been out at night.

"How did she come out at 12.30 at night?" the West Bengal CM asked. She tried defending her government from the allegation of women's safety failure, saying that it was the responsibility of the college to ensure the survivor's safety, not her government's.

"Especially, a girl child at night-time, they shouldn't be allowed to come outside. They have to protect themselves also," Banerjee added. This was not the first time Banerjee made such a bizarre and misogynistic comment. During previous rape cases in the state, the CM was seen making some controversial remarks where she blamed the rape survivor.

Here's a list of Mamata Banerjee's misogynistic remarks:

'Fabricated incident' - 2012

Talking about the 2012 Park Street rape case, where three men abducted and raped a woman in Kolkata, Banerjee made an objectionable statement. She refused that the incident was real and called it a “shajano ghatana" - a fabricated incident. She said it was planned to demean her government.

'Rape cases are on the rise because boys and girls interact' - 2012

Talking about the rising number of rape cases and sexual harassment, Banerjee said it was because boys and girls interact often these days.

“Rape cases are on the rise because boys and girls interact more freely now. Earlier if men and women held hands, they would get caught by parents … now everything is so open. It’s like an open market with open options," the West Bengal CM said.

'Will you call it rape?' - 2012

In 2022, a 14-year-old girl was gang-raped in the Nadia district of the state. Banerjee, reacting to the case, said, "This story they are showing that a minor has died due to rape, will you call it rape? Was she pregnant or had a love affair? Have they [media] enquired? I have asked the police. They have made arrests. I was told the girl had an affair with the boy."

"It was a love affair and that's confirmed as the family was aware of it. If a couple is in a relationship, can I stop it? This is not UP, we don't do Love Jihad here. This is their personal freedom. But if there are any misdeeds, police will arrest the culprits. One suspect has been arrested already," the CM added.

'Where is the evidence?' - 2012

In 2012, a 31-year-old widow was allegedly gang-raped on the Ahmedpur-Katwa narrow gauge local. Banerjee called it a "planned" rape by her opposition political party.

"A complaint of rape has been filed. Nothing has been found in the medical report. Where is the evidence? I do not think any incident of rape has taken place. I hear a political party, of which the woman's husband is a supporter, has planned to use its workers to cry rape," she said.

Durgapur case - the horrific crime

The girl, who hails from Jaleswar in Odisha, had stepped out of the IQ City Medical College in the Shivapur area of Durgapur with a male friend around 8.30 pm on Friday for dinner when some men came near the college gate, dragged her to a nearby forested area, and gang-raped her.

The father of the 23-year-old survivor, in his complaint to the police, has alleged that her male friend fled when the men came, and the family suspects his involvement in the crime.