Mamata Banerjee’s Blame Game Over Rape

It is ten days since the young medical intern was raped and killed brutally in Kolkata. Ten days of protests by doctors and the people across the country, ten days of denial and ridiculous statements by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and members of her party. She has spent the time ensuring that the wheels of justice get stuck in the dirty mud of authoritarianism where people are targeted for raiding their voices, and conspiracies are alleged to ensure that the rapists and killers are not arrested, and justice is denied.

Till just the day before, TMC was patting itself on the back for bringing in a record number of women into the Lok Sabha through the recent parliamentary elections. Articulate women who spoke well, and had a lot to say. They have all disappeared since as party loyalty has come in the way of their conscience and while they go around busting myths, they are also providing the cover for Mamata Banerjee to put out meaningless promises while blocking a free and fair investigation into the dastardly crime.

It is strange how political leaders, when in power, discard humanity for political compulsions whatever those might be. The brutal murder that has shaken India seems to have had little impact on the Chief Minister and her party. The proper response — regardless of the positions taken by her arch foes BJP and the Left –would have been to order a full transparent inquiry along with immediate action against all concerned and who were part of the system that allowed this crime in the hospital. The CM would have done well to join the protests, and through action appealed to the young woman’s family and the doctors at large for support even as they were kept informed of the facts on a daily basis.

None of this happened and there is truth in the Opposition's charge that Mamata Banerjee is wilfully blocking the investigation, and thereby protecting unidentified persons. The rumours abound, the social media is flooded with such charges, and the Trinamool Congress has lost all and more of what it gained during the Lok Sabha polls. Fingers are being pointed at the TMC MPs for their silence, particularly as they were a strong and substantial part of the Opposition in the Lower House.

Ten days have passed in accusation and counter accusations, and subterfuge of the worst order. The girl's parents, devastated and sorrowful, are now speaking out about the state government’s stance repeating their demand for justice for their young daughter whose life was snuffed out in such a terrible fashion. But Banerjee seems to have turned deaf, listening and responding only to the Opposition, almost as if the rape has come in her way and given a handle to her opponents to twist her with! This amazing playout will not be forgotten, and she has dealt a blow through this positioning to her government, her party and the entire Opposition at the centre that she is part of.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, to give him full credit, refused to keep quiet, and has come out on the side of the victim, the doctors across the country, and demanding a proper enquiry has also spoken for the need of a national consultation on the safety for women. Mamata Banerjee, in characteristic style, attacked him by basically saying that he had no right to interfere in what concerned her and her state. It is unlikely though that he will remain a bystander, and the confrontation will increase until and unless she understands that she needs to order a transparent investigation backed by arrests and action. Somehow, she has dug her heels in even on an issue that she had claimed was close to her heart, and that by fielding a record number of women in the elections she had given teeth to her concern for women’s rights and safety. And in the process lost goodwill and respect all over the country.

One has seen that women in politics are not necessarily custodians of women’s rights, in fact quite the opposite. Except for exceptions like the late Geeta Mukherjee and Brinda Karat not many have stood up to support women, over and above party diktat. In fact the two women named here have gone many steps further to influence their respective parties to adopt positions that are seen as fair, just and humane on issues as diverse as reservation for women in the legislatures and the uniform civil code. Banerjee has dashed many hopes, and has proven through her inaction and quips that she is one of a herd, and not the exceptional champion of women that she has been trying to project herself as. This could well be the end of her game, earlier than expected.