New Delhi, August 22: Amid protests and outrage over brutal assault and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking strict legislation on cases of rape.
Chief advisor to Banerjee, Alapan Bandyopadhyay, confirmed the development. Bandyopadhyay said that Banerjee has brought to attention of the Prime Minister the regular and increasing occurrence of rape cases throughout the country.
Citing that almost 90 cases of rapes occur daily throughout the country, Banerjee said this shakes the confidence and conscience of the society and the nation. She stated that such serious and sensitive issue needs to be addressed in a comprehensive manner through stringent central legislation prescribing exemplary punishment against the persons involved in such dastardly crimes.
Setting up of fast-track special courts for speedy trials in such cases should also be considered in the proposed legislation to ensure quick justice, Banerjee wrote, adding that trial in such cases should preferably be completed within 15 days.
This comes as the Mamata Banerjee-led government has faced intense criticism and scrutiny over the incident and the subsequent vandalism that took place in the hospital during the protests.
Earlier today, the Supreme Court termed "extremely disturbing" the Kolkata Police's delay in registering the unnatural death of the woman doctor raped and killed at the hospital, and also asked protesting doctors to get back to work.
Justice and medicine cannot be stopped, the court said while hearing a suo-motu case on the Kolkata doctor's horrific end and directed the Centre and the states to take urgent steps to institutionalise the safety of medics across the country.
On August 9, the victim's body was found inside the seminar hall of the state-run hospital's chest department. A civic volunteer, named Sanjoy Roy, was arrested in connection with the case.
Later, the Calcutta High Court transferred the probe into the case from Kolkata Police to the CBI, which began its investigation on August 14.
