Expressing outrage over the alleged gang rape of a student in a law college in Kolkata, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday alleged that "goons associated with the ruling TMC" were committing atrocities on "daughters of the state" while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee remained silent on the issue.
The senior BJP leader, who was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme at Panihati in North 24 Parganas district, said that West Bengal, which used to show the way to the country, is now "shocking the conscience" of the entire nation with brutalities like R G Kar medic's rape and murder and now the alleged gang rape of a woman at South Kolkata Law College.
"In a state where luminaries like Rabindranath Tagore, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, Swami Vivekananda and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose were born, a state which used to show the way to the country, is now witnessing back-to-back incidents of atrocity against women by goons sheltered and associated with the ruling party," he said.
In the RG Kar case, a civic police volunteer was involved, and in this case, there are allegations of direct involvement of goondas associated with the TMC, he said.
"Such incidents shocked the conscience of the nation and disturbed every right-thinking citizen of the country about the safety of women," the BJP leader said.
Alleging that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is remaining mum on the incident, he said, "We don't know when Mamata Didi will take note. But she will certainly be given the right message by the people of West Bengal when this brutal, ruthless and inhuman regime is dislodged from power in the 2026 assembly polls." Pradhan said while Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, will highlight the lawlessness in the state in the House, state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar will voice people's grievances in street protests.
Later, at a function attended by academics close to the BJP, Pradhan said campus security is under the domain of the state government.
He called for proper surveillance of educational institutions' campuses, prevention of entry of unwanted elements and regulation of entry of outsiders during office hours.
"It is reported those involved are former TMC student wing office-bearers. Why is the TMC government not holding student union polls in colleges? Why did it nominate people having such criminal antecedents at the outset?" he asked.
For years, no student union polls have been held in higher educational institutions and former TMCP leaders are running the show, intimidating general students, he added.
He called upon people to launch a spontaneous protest against the TMC government.
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