More rapes in WB due to Mamata govt's lethargic attitude: NCW

Kolkata: Holding the Mamata Banerjee government’s “lethargic attitude” as responsible for rise in crimes against women in West Bengal, National Commission for Women chief Mamata Sharma sought intervention of a Congress minister in the matter. In a letter to state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, also the minister of state for Railways, Sharma also accused the state police of “hushing up matters” instead of taking action. [caption id=“attachment_1411455” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Mamata Banerjee. AFP[/caption] “I would like to bring to your notice the rising crime of rape and atrocities on women in West Bengal. This shows the lethargic attitude of the state government which is responsible for such crimes in the state,” the letter said. Sharma after meeting with a 20-year-old tribal woman, who was violated by several men allegedly at the behest of a kangaroo court in Birbhum district, questioned the “callous” attitude of the police. The NCW chairperson also criticised the Banerjee government for not paying heed to the recommendations of the women’s panel. She also apprised Chowdhury about Banerjee’s calling the Park Street rape case as “cooked up”. “The truth is there is nothing cooked up,” wrote Sharma referring to the 2012 rape of an Anglo-Indian woman in the heart of city. “Even the police have failed to protect the rights of the women. Instead of filing FIR against the accused, they try to hush up the matter, resulting in women not getting justice at all,” alleged Sharma in the letter dated Feb 13. “You hail from Bengal and are familiar with the problems of women in the state. I, therefore, request you to intervene in the matter and give justice,” wrote Sharma, also asking Chowdhury to take up the matter with the chief minister. IANS