Kolkata, Aug 28 (UNI): The West Bengal government will call an Assembly session soon and pass a Bill providing for capital punishment to rapists, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Wednesday.
Addressing the 27th Foundation Day of her party Trinamool Congress’ student wing here, Banerjee said the Bill would be passed within 10 days.
“Next week, we will call an Assembly session and pass a Bill within 10 days to ensure capital punishment for rapists,” said Banerjee, whose government has been facing intense protests involving large parts of the society.
Banerjee threatened to hold a sit-in outside the Raj Bhavan if Governor C V Ananda Bose did not okay the legislation. “We will send this Bill to the Governor. If he doesn’t pass, we will sit outside Raj Bhavan. This Bill must be passed and he cannot evade accountability this time,” she said.
Banerjee’s remarks came on a day the principal opposition BJP sponsored a dawn-to-dusk bandh in the state in protest against what the party called “atrocities” committed by the police on students who participated in a March to Nabanna (the state secretariat) demanding justice for the lady medic.
A few days back, Banerjee had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding central legislation to give stringent punishment to rapists. She had also sought the setting up of fast-track courts for speedy trials of cases of rape.
