BENGAL GOVERNOR, TRINAMOOL SPAR OVER ANTI-RAPE APARAJITA BILL

West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose and the Trinamool Congress have locked horns over the Aparajita Women and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024, which the State Assembly passed on Tuesday in a special two-day session in the aftermath of the gruesome rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the state-owned RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

- SUPROTIM MUKHERJEE

The Governor has sought a technical report on the Bill,and dubbed the legislation a “political gimmick designed to hoodwink people”, observing that similar legislations from other States were pending with the President. Bose said the State Government was duty bound to send a technical report before a decision is taken on giving assent to the Bill.

The Trinamool Congress hit back at the Governor for his comment. Party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said that the Governor was showing “utter insensitivity towards the RG Kar rape and murder victim,” while Biman Banerjee, the Assembly Speaker urged the Governor “not to make politically motivated statements”

“I will request the honourable Governor to please look into the Constitution and determine for himself whether the Bill passed by the West Bengal Assembly requires any further clarification,” he told reporters.