press club of india, Indian Tehalka News
In an attempt to highlight the incidents of crime against women during the Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime, 16 mass organisations of the Left parties, including the All-India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), the women’s wing of the Communist Party of India-(Marxist), will take out a 130-km cycle rally.
The rally will be flagged off at Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas district on December 12, where the alleged rape and murder of a teenager had sparked strong protests. In November last, a Class IX student was raped and murdered in Kakdwip. The rally will conclude at Kamduni village in North 24 Parganas district where a college student was allegedly gang-raped and killed in June 2013, triggering State-wide protests.
AIDWA State secretary Minoti Ghosh told The Hindu on Monday that the rally is in protest against the continuing atrocities on women. “The crime against women in West Bengal is increasing day by day. The police administration has virtually collapsed and failed to ensure rule of law,” Ms Ghosh said.
Recently over a hundred Left organisations had organised jathas across the State in an attempt to reach out to majority of voters at the grassroot level. The marches, which at certain places were attacked allegedly by the ruling party, have been described as successful by the Left parties.
The cycle rally is also aimed at regaining the lost political ground in south Bengal raising the issue of crime against women.
Over the past three years, West Bengal had earned the “dubious distinction” of featuring in the top three States recording highest crime against women. As per NCRB report of 2014, released in August 2015, West Bengal stands only second to Uttar Pradesh in the number of recorded cases of crime against women.
While Uttar Pradesh with 16.8 per cent share of country’s women population has reported nearly 11.4 per cent of total crimes committed against women at all India level by reporting 38,467 cases, and West Bengal accounting for nearly 7.5 per cent of the country’s women population, has accounted for 11.3 per cent of total cases of crimes.
As per NCRB report of 2013, released in 2014, the State ranked third in terms of crime against women. Similarly the NCRB report of 2012, released the next year had pointed out that the State had recorded maximum number of cases of crime against women in the country.
From: The Hindu