Bengal no longer safe for women: Governor

Kolkata, Oct 15 (IANS) West Bengal Governor, C.V. Ananda Bose, said on Wednesday that the state is no longer safe for women folk.

His comments came amid a series of events of sexual crime against women, including that of the second-year Dalit medical student of a private medical college & hospital at Durgapur in West Burdwan district earlier this month.

“The recent Durgapur rape incident is not just an isolated incident. It is rather a continuation of a series of crimes that have been happening repeatedly. West Bengal is not safe for women and girls now, which is indicative of a deep-seated illness in the society,” he said.

The Governor added that the real strength of a society depends on how safe women feel there. If judged by that standard, then it must be said that women in West Bengal today are living in fear.

He made these comments at the sidelines of a Kolkata-based chamber of commerce event.

He also indirectly blamed the ruling Trinamool Congress dispensation for the repeated events of reported sexual crimes in the state.

“What we are seeing now is just the tip of the iceberg. Beneath it lies a deeper problem, which is the incompetence of those responsible for running the system,” the Governor said.

He also criticised the police administration in the state for not acting as required in handling such cases of sexual crimes against women.

“The main task of the people is to maintain law & order in the state. As a Governor, I cannot say that the police administration here is performing as expected. The current situation in West Bengal has the indications of a ‘soft state’ where the application and enforcement of legal provisions are not appropriate. The police are not playing the necessary role in enforcing the law,” Bose added.

According to him, it is the responsibility of the police administration to maintain law and order and strictly enforce the legal provisions.

“The law enforcement agencies are responsible for violence or lawlessness in the state," the Governor added.

--IANS

src/dan