The West Bengal Assembly made history on Tuesday by unanimously passing the ‘Aparajita’ anti-rape bill, introduced by the Mamata Banerjee government. This move marks Bengal as the first state to implement amendments to central laws concerning rape, gang rape, and sexual crimes against children.
The bill, formally known as the ‘Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) 2024,’ will now be sent to West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose and then to President Droupadi Murmu for their approval. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hailed the bill as a “historic” and “model” piece of legislation, dedicated to the memory of a 31-year-old trainee doctor who was tragically raped and murdered at the government-run RG Kar Medical Centre and Hospital last month. The bill stipulates the death penalty for those convicted of rape if the crime results in the victim’s death or leaves her in a vegetative state. Additionally, it mandates a life sentence without parole for convicted rapists.
While discussing the bill’s merits, Chief Minister Banerjee urged the Leader of Opposition (LoP), Suvendu Adhikari, to encourage Governor Bose to grant his assent to the bill. She emphasized that the bill aims to close existing loopholes in central legislation, stating, “Rape is a curse against humanity, and social reforms are essential to prevent such crimes.” Banerjee also called on the opposition to support the bill’s enactment, saying, “We want justice from the CBI and the death penalty for the guilty.”
In her remarks, Banerjee also criticized other states, such as Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, for their high rates of crimes against women, contrasting this with what she described as more effective justice for women in West Bengal. She further expressed disappointment that West Bengal was not consulted before the passage of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and voiced her desire for discussions on it following the formation of the new government.
The BJP, while welcoming the ‘Aparajita’ bill, pointed out that the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) also contains stringent provisions for dealing with crimes against women and children. Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition, also proposed seven amendments to the bill during the assembly session.
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