West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s comments on the Durgapur gangrape case have stirred up a storm, with the opposition BJP alleging that her remarks amount to victim shaming.
Banerjee, while speaking to reporters at Kolkata airport, had questioned why the victim, a second-year medical college student, was out at 12:30 am when the crime took place. On Sunday, the chief minister clarified her statement, saying her remarks were being misreported and distorted.
“My words were twisted and taken out of context. Do not try this nasty politics with me,” Banerjee said while speaking at Jalpaiguri where she is on a visit to assess ongoing relief work post the North Bengal floods on October 4.
Mamata questioned why the private medical college authorities allowed the victim to leave the campus situated in a forest area.
“It is a shocking incident. That girl was studying at a private medical college. So wasn’t it the responsibility of the college? How did they come out at 12:30 am at night? So far as I know, it happened in a forested area," the chief minister said, adding that the perpetrators of the crime will not be spared.
#WATCH | Kolkata, WB: On the alleged gangrape of an MBBS student in Durgapur, CM Mamata Banerjee says, "... The girls should not be allowed to go outside (college) at night. They have to protect themselves also. There is a forest area. Police are searching all the people. Nobody… https://t.co/9cck7wwxcn pic.twitter.com/OnuFiFSIAz
— ANI (@ANI) October 12, 2025
Banerjee went on to question what action had been taken in Odisha—where the BJP is in power—on rape cases. The saffron party had questioned the safety of women in West Bengal under the current regime, accusing it of being unable to provide security to the victim from the neighbouring state of Odisha.
Meanwhile, the BJP on Sunday stepped up its attack on Banerjee over her remarks. “We have a Taliban government, we have Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal,” said BJP leader Agnimitra Paul. She also questioned the time Banerjee had mentioned in her remark on the crime.
“Mamata Banerjee is saying today that this girl, the victim of the Durgapur incident, had gone out at 12 o'clock at night. Mamata Banerjee, please don't lie. The CCTV footage shows that she went out to fetch her food at 7.58 pm or 8 pm. So please do not try to put the blame on the girl and the institution. What do you think? After 12 am, women shouldn't go out?” Paul asked.
According to the complaint, the alleged crime took place around 8 pm.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari is expected to visit Durgapur to assess the situation. Three arrests have been made so far in the case, and one person has been detained. |
