BJP says Bengal minister called Kolkata law college rape ‘small incident’, he denies

West Bengal’s Irrigation Minister Manas Bhunia is in the dock over his statement at an event where he said that even if a small incident happens in the state, it is blown out of proportion by the BJP. The West Bengal BJP on Tuesday shared a clip of the irrigation minister making the remark and claimed that he was talking about the rape of the law student in Kolkata last week. The BJP shared a clip in which Bhunia is heard saying in Bengali, “The moment there is a small incident in Bengal, they say ‘look the state is gone, such destruction’... Yes, incidents happen and they happen within families too. Husbands are killing their wives, and wives are taking the help of their lovers to kill their husbands when they go on vacation. These are the crises of the society (sic).”

The 24-year-old law student was allegedly raped at the South Calcutta Law College in Kolkata’s Kasba area on June 25 by Monojit Mishra, a 31-year-old former student linked to the student wing of the ruling Trinamool Congress. Two students, Zaib Ahmed, 19, and Pramit Mukhopadhyay, 20, and a security guard are also accused in the case, and all four have been arrested.

In its post, the BJP recalled recent comments by TMC MLA Madan Mitra and MP Kalyan Banerjee on the student’s rape and claimed that no woman will be safe in Bengal till the Trinamool is in power.

“Shame! State Minister Manas Bhunia, echoing Mamata Banerjee’s stance, claims that rape is a “small incident” and that people create unnecessary noise every time such a case occurs! This is the culture of TMC. Sometimes they question the character of the rape survivor, and sometimes, like Madan Mitra or Kalyan Banerjee, they target the victim instead of standing by her, even when the rape is committed inside a state government college campus by a TMC leader,” the BJP said in the post on X.

“As long as the TMC remains in power, no woman in West Bengal will ever be safe,” it added.

Minister refutes allegation

Bhunia denied that he was talking about the rape and said attempts were being made to defame him.

“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,” the minister told news agency ANI.

“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,” he added.

Law College terminates Mishra, expels 2 accused students

The authorities of South Calcutta Law College have terminated the services of the prime accused, Mishra, and expelled two other co-accused in the alleged gang rape of a 24-year-old student, an official said on Tuesday.

The appointment of prime accused Monojit Mishra, who was serving as a casual employee of the college, was cancelled after his arrest.

“It has been decided to terminate the services of Mishra, while the two other students will be expelled with immediate effect. The college will maintain no connection with the accused. The security agency, assigned with the security of the college premises, will also be showcaused,” TMC MLA Ashok Kumar Deb told reporters after a meeting of the college’s governing body.

The college has also decided to apply for the cancellation of the bar council membership of Mishra, who is a practising criminal lawyer at the Alipore Police and Sessions Court.