Hit-and-run & rape: 'Little girls' and 'young boys' dangerous for India, isn't it, Mamata Banerjee?

Feature

oi-Nairita

Here comes another shocking statement from our West Bengal Chief Minister -- Mamata Banerjee. It is a known fact that West Bengal Mayor Sovan Chatterjee and his family members are very close to the CM. But what she is doing to defend Mr Chatterjee's niece, Debapriya, is really disturbing.

Days after the infamous hit-and-run case in Kolkata, Ms Banerjee on Tuesday, May 26 said, "There was an incident involving little girls in Kolkata. But does that mean police will take away their (driving) license!"

Ms Banerjee shocked everyone with her latest bizarre statement. She was defending 24-year-old Debapriya, a student of University of Calcutta pursuing her masters in Journalism and Mass communication.

24-year-old, a 'little girl'?

The so-called 'little girl' took a Nano car, flouted traffic rules, knocked down a pedestrian, threatened traffic police of 'dire consequences'.

Debapriya, Ms Banerjee's 'little girl', allegedly shouted at the police constable who stopped her in traffic signal. She also allegedly threatened the cop that she would kicked him out of his job.

The accused in this case was drunk at the time of the accident, said media reports. She later filed another case against the traffic police, accusing him of harassing her.

'Little girl' and 'little boys' are dangerous for West Bengal and for India:

Ms Banerjee earlier had defended members of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, the students wing of Trinamool Congress (TMC), using the phrase "little boys".

She had defended the "little boys" who had heckled and manhandled principals and teachers of several colleges soon after she became the chief minister of the state after the historic victory in 2011.

Now, if these 'little girls' and 'little boys' get backing from powerful people such as chief ministers of any state, soon there will be a law and order situation in the country.

If police are questioned to do their duties, then it will be difficult for them to control such people who think they can do anything as they have support of some ministers or some powerful men.

Mamata Banerjee's 'little girl' vs Mulayam Singh's 'Young Boys':

Ms Banerjee's latest statement reminded us the infamous remark of Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. The former Uttar Pradesh CM had claimed, "Ladke, ladke hain. Galti ho jati hai (Boys are boys. They commit mistakes)."

He also said that he does not believe in punishing someone for rape. During an election campaign in 2014, Mr Yadav was quoted as saying, "Rape ke liye phaansi dena galat hai. Ladkon se galti ho jaati hai, hum satta mein aaye to kanoon mein badlav karenge." (It is wrong to give death sentence for rape. Boys make mistakes. If we come to power, we will change the law.)

His remark came after three men were found guilty of gang-raping two women in the abandoned Shakti Mills in Mumbai in 2012 and they were given death sentence by a court.

Counselling is needed, but for whom?

Ms Banerjee is right in saying, "Everybody needs counselling." The West Bengal Chief Minister was talking about police officials who took the driving license of Debapriya.

The CM asked, "Why was the girl's driving license seized by the police?" What should a police official do if someone in a car hits a pedestrian and violates traffic rules?

Yes, none was seriously injured in the accident in which Debapriya was involved. But here it's about the attitude which should be changed. Everyone should follow rules and law should be equal for all.

If politicians such as Ms Banerjee and Mr Yadav continue to give such statements, what kind of message will be delivered to the young generation of the country?

Let the law take its own course, instead of defending these 'little girls', 'little boys', Ms Banerjee.