Rapes happen because men and women interact freely: Mamata

After the Haryana ministers and Khap panchayats, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has come up with her bizarre reasoning for the increasing number of rape cases in the country. Mamata said that rape cases are on a rise in the country because men and women interact with each other more freely now.

"Earlier if men and women would hold hands, they would get caught by parents and reprimanded but now everything is so open. It's like an open market with open options," she said as quoted by IBNlive.

The Trinamool Congress chief alleged that a section of media was suppressing facts and causing "news pollution", pointing to projection of few rape incidents in the state. "Everyday rape incidents are being highlighted as if the entire state has become the land of rapists. Rape is sought to be glorified by these people. This will not be tolerated by people. I would like to say that negative journalism only destroys and it is time to champion positive journalism," she said.

Mamata Banerjee. PTI

The Chief Minister took a dig at a section of the media, particularly some electronic news channels, for targetting her government by dishing out "canards and exaggerated and negative news items" to show the administration in bad light.

"Wrong news items and canards are being circulated by a section of the media, particularly some news channels, to target her government. They are even distorting my own version," Mamata said after releasing the special puja (festival) edition of Trinamool Congress organ "Jago Bangla", in Kolkata.

Banerjee alleged that news items were being tailored to serve business interests and that "in some of the media there exist dadagiri and didigiri".

Challenging those daring to control her government, she said instead of doing so in individual capacity, I would like to ask them to join politics and run the government.

Banerjee regretted that the positive side of her government was not being highlighted by these media and alleged these people are bent upon demolishing Bengal's culture.

Asserting that she has no lust for power, Banerjee said, "I will like to warn those spreading canards against me that it will not pay."

With inputs from PTI