BJP women's wing rally against Bengal govt alleging increase in rape, abuse

The West Bengal BJP's women's wing Friday took out a rally here protesting against the state government's failure to curb atrocities on women. The BJP Mahila Morcha, led by its state president Locket Chatterjee, took out the rally from BJP state headquarters in central Kolkata to Shyambazar in the north, as part of International Women's Day celebrations.

The BJP alleged that during the Trinamool Congress' rule in the last seven years, atrocities against women, including rape, have been on the rise in the state. "It is a matter of shame that despite the state having a woman chief minister, there has been a sharp increase in a number of incidents of rape and atrocities against women.

For 3-4 consecutive years, the state has topped the charts in a number of incidents of rape," Chatterjee said. Holding posters and placards, women activists of the saffron party shouted slogans against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Former IPS officer Bharati Ghosh, who had recently joined BJP, said that before criticising the central government, Banerjee should set her own house in order. "She (Mamata Banerjee) is talking about lynchings and attacks on dalits. My question is what about the incidents of rape against women and the failure of the state police administration to file chargesheet on time. She should first set her own home in order and then point finger at others," Ghosh said.

(With inputs from agencies.)