Political Turmoil Amidst Kolkata Gangrape Allegations

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Saturday expressed strong criticism toward the West Bengal government, headed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, following allegations of a gangrape in Kolkata. Meghwal emphasized that the state's law and order have significantly deteriorated, attributing the situation to the government's alleged appeasement politics, which he claims has exacerbated the crisis.

Addressing the media, Meghwal remarked, "Law and order has deteriorated in West Bengal. This is further deteriorating due to appeasement politics. You can see the result before you...This is an unfortunate situation for Bengal. This is a taint on Bengal." In response to the incident, Kolkata Police on Saturday arrested the guard of the South Calcutta Law College, where the crime allegedly occurred against a female student.

The Kolkata Police confirmed, "Guard of the Law College, Pinaki Banerjee (55) has also been arrested in the case." The victim was reportedly assaulted inside the college premises on Wednesday. Earlier, police detained three individuals, Monojit Mishra (31), Zaib Ahmed (19), and Pramit Mukhopadhyay (20), all former students or staff at the institution. These suspects are scheduled to appear before the magistrate for further custody in the investigation. The National Commission for Women has called for urgent inquiry and support for the survivor.

The incident has sparked a political confrontation, as BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh demanded Mamata Banerjee's resignation, citing a rising trend in crimes against women under her leadership. Ghosh claimed that Banerjee's dismissive responses embolden perpetrators, and argued that the cultural decline in Bengal is due to the Chief Minister's inadequate governance.

(With inputs from agencies.)