"Why did Women's Commission not go to other places?" asks Bengal minister amid outcry over Kolkata gangrape case

Kolkata(West Bengal) [India], June 29 (ANI): West Bengal Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya on Sunday criticised the National Commission for Women (NCW) after its member Archana Majumdar visited the state in connection with the alleged gangrape of a woman in Kolkata on June 25 and suggested that the body visit other states like Manipur and Odisha.
A female student was allegedly gang-raped inside the college premises on Wednesday (June 25). The police have arrested three persons, including the main accused, and a five-member Special team has been formed to investigate the incident.
While speaking to ANI, Bhattacharya raised concerns over the commission's neutrality, saying, ""Why did the Women's Commission not go to other places? Are there no atrocities there? If you have to go, go everywhere. You should go to Manipur, Odisha. It is an independent institution; it should be independent, but it is not working that way."
"I have nothing to say on Kalyan Banerjee and Madan Mitra, our party has already commented on it," she further said.
Her comments came hours after NCW member Archana Majumdar visited South Calcutta Law College, where a student was allegedly gangraped. During her visit, she met with the officer-in-charge and discussed the case's progress.
Majumdar said, "They (police) are neither letting us meet the victims, nor see the crime scene, nor let us take any photographs. The police do not want us to meet the victim's family."
She further alleged that the police were unaware of the survivor's whereabouts, stating, "The police are saying that they don't know where the family is. The Deputy Commissioner, the nodal officer in charge of the case, is unaware of the victim's location. They are not at home. They have been hidden somewhere..."
"We will include everything in the report... After getting the letter from the Commission yesterday, police completed all the work in a single day, and now they don't know where the victim and family are. This is ridiculous. We will do what we have to do..." she said.
Earlier today, Majumdar reiterated the commission's duty to support and protect women in times of crisis, working towards their safety and well-being. She emphasised the NCW's role in ensuring the safety and support of women in crisis, particularly in cases where crimes are being suppressed.
The NCW team, she said, plans to visit the survivor's house to assess the situation, understand the family's needs, and evaluate the police's response. The member was informed that the medical report and FIR were received within a single day.
"We have spoken to the officer-in-charge, who informed us that the first visit will be to the girl's house in Champahati, where we will speak with her father, mother, and any other legal guardian. We will ask the family about the current situation, what actually happened, whether proper protection has been given, whether the police took timely and appropriate action, and if the family needs any further help. We will also inquire about the progress of the investigation... Earlier, medical and legal procedures used to take several days, even up to four days. But yesterday, we received the medical report, FIR, in a single day. This shows that if police work without political interference, everything can be done promptly..." Majumdar told ANI. (ANI)