Our rapists vs. your rapists: BJP and Trinamool slugfest in West Bengal

The ‘gangrape’ of a law college student in Kolkata and rape charges against a Padma Shri recipient monk who had campaigned for the BJP warm up the pre-election politics in West Bengal

West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar in Kolkata, 28 June 2025 (Photo: PTI)
West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar in Kolkata, 28 June 2025 (Photo: PTI)
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NH Digital

BJP’s state president and Union minister of state Sukanta Mazumdar was on Saturday detained by the police while protesting against the gangrape of a law college student by a former student and AITC student leader. Four of the accused and the security guard at the college have been arrested and the victim was medically examined and her statement was recorded within 12 hours of receiving the complaint, point out the AITC.

However, with the state unit of the BJP hitting the streets protesting against the failure of the state government to ensure women’s safety, AITC has also gone on the offensive. The complaint by a woman that she was being raped by Kartik Maharaj, a pro-BJP monk who was awarded the Padma Shri this year, has been raked up by the ruling party to put the BJP on the defensive.

While the monk has denied the charges and described them as politically motivated, the AITC is in no mood to relent. “A close ally of BJP, Kartik Maharaj, recently awarded the Padma Shri on special recommendation of PM Modi’s Govt., stands accused of repeatedly raping a woman inside a school building in Murshidabad. We demand a thorough, impartial investigation…no political proximity should shield the accused,” asserted the official AITC handle.

Referring to the prompt action by Kolkata Police in arresting the accused in the gang-rape of the law college student, AITC spokesman Kunal Ghosh said, "The accused in this heinous crime have been rightfully arrested, but why should Kartik Maharaj be exempt? It is shameful how BJP continues to shield such individuals while celebrating them with honours like the Padma Shri. We have never defended such acts, neither as a party nor as a Government. TMC remains committed to ensuring strict punishment for every perpetrator, without exception," he added.

The state president of the party’s students’ wing Trinamool Chhatra Parishad denied claims of the state BJP and claimed, “The accused was never the unit president of that college. In fact, there is no functioning TMCP unit there. His brief, junior role ended in 2022, and he is not part of any current committee. Attempts to falsely link TMCP to this crime are completely baseless.” The photographs of the main accused, 31-year-old Manojit Mishra, with Trinamool leaders were of the 2017 vintage, he claimed and added, “how could one predict in 2017 what he would do in 2025?”

West Bengal minister Shashi Panja escalated the attack by saying, “BJP’s own ministers, MPs, and MLAs are accused of rape in BJP-ruled states, where FIRs are buried, chargesheets delayed, and culprits roam free. Yet, they choose to sensationalise sensitive cases instead of standing by victims; from the R G Kar tragedy to the Kasba (law college) incident, the state administration has acted swiftly and decisively. It's clear: We act. They exploit.”

Kolkata Police meanwhile posted on X, “Certain unscrupulous elements are attempting deliberately to give a communal colour to the unfortunate incident in Kasba. Such actions are not only misleading but also aimed at disturbing public order. Stringent legal action shall be taken against those spreading false narratives with malicious intent. All appropriate legal and investigative measures have been taken in the said case, and the investigation is progressing strictly in accordance with the law.”

The ruling party in the state, on the backfoot following gang-rape charges against accused said to be close to the party in power in both Sandeshkhali and RG Kar rape and murder incident in the RG Kar medical college, has been wary and more careful this time. It is also aggressive in highlighting the poorer record of BJP-ruled states and the national party in handling rape charges. Its social media cell has put out several posts, including the following:

·     When was the last time @BJP4India took action against a single person who has been accused of raping women? In the IIT-BHU rape case, at least two of the accused were members of the BJP Varanasi IT Cell; shared pictures with the likes of PM Modi, @amitmalviya and many others!

Somnath Sahoo, BJP's Yuva Morcha leader from Habibpur, was caught red-handed stealing jewellery worth ₹25 lakh from a shop in Odisha. CCTV footage exposes him. Locals caught him while he was trying to flee and handed him over to the police. Shamelessly, @BJP4Bengal leaders, including @DrSukanataBJP and @hiran_chatterji , have been seen posing with this thief on multiple occasions.

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