“What Can Be Done If Friend Rapes Friend?”: TMC MP Kalyan Banarjee’s Remark Amid Kolkata Shock Triggers Backlash

Kolkata: Senior Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee’s remarks on the alleged gang-rape of a 24-year-old law student at South Calcutta Law College have triggered sharp backlash, with the BJP accusing him of showing sympathy towards the accused. 

The 24-year-old woman was allegedly gang-raped inside the college campus on Wednesday, leading to the arrest of three men, including a current student, a staffer, and a former student linked to the Trinamool Congress. The incident reportedly took place when the victim visited the college to fill out examination-related forms.  

‘What Can Be Done If Friend Rapes Friend?’

Speaking to the media, Banerjee said only a few men commit such crimes and questioned what could be done “if a friend rapes his friend.”

“I am not an advocate into the incident that occurred at the law college but the accused should be arrested. A few men commit this type of crime… but what can be done if a friend rapes his friend,” he said.

The TMC MP also questioned the limits of police presence in educational institutions, asking “Will the police be there in schools? This was done by students to another student. Who will protect her (victim)? This (South Calcutta Law College) is a government college. Will the police always be there?” 

Banerjee added that no law or police could prevent such crimes unless there was a change in society’s mindset, noting that “college authorities are not part of the government machinery.”

BJP Slams ‘Disgraceful’ Remarks

The BJP West Bengal unit sharply criticised Banerjee’s remarks, accusing him of sympathising with the accused. In a post on X, the party took to X and said “TMC MP comes out in support of rapists! In Kasba, a college student has been gang-raped by a TMCP leader and his gang. But TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee calls women’s safety concerns a mere ‘political agenda’.”

The party also invoked Banerjee’s past comments on the RG Kar Medical College case, stating “In the RG Kar rape case, as Bengal rose in protest through ‘Raat Jago,’ Kalyan mocks the movement and shamelessly claims the govt has no role if a rape happens inside a college.” “This disgraceful attitude is why women in Bengal feel abandoned, unsafe, and unheard,” the BJP added.

BJP leader Dilip Ghosh said Banerjee “should be ashamed” and criticised the TMC for not condemning such incidents. “He should be ashamed. He is a senior leader, lawyer… he should motivate people to protest against such incidents…” Ghosh said.

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya also attacked Banerjee, accusing him of trivialising rape. “He trivialized the crime by saying it was committed by ‘classmates.’ So rape by classmates is acceptable now?”

Malviya further questioned the role of West Bengal Police under Mamata Banerjee, stating “Is the role of West Bengal Police now limited to guarding Mamata Banerjee’s residence and holding umbrellas over TMC leaders, while Bengal’s daughters cry for justice?”

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