New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress on Wednesday were united in welcoming the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) notice to the West Bengal Government over the gang-rape of a 71-year-old nun inside a convent in Nadia district.
Minister of State for Urban Development and BJP leader Babul Supriyo called for the crime against women to be taken seriously in the country.
"The Nadia incident was very shameful. What is more alarming is that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party is trying to politicise the case by calling it an extension of 'Ghar Wapsi'. Instead of engaging in political mudslinging, the state government should arrest the culprits," Supriyo told the media.
"The West Bengal Government has the sad, dubious record of not being benevolent towards the rape victims and accusing political parties of shielding such culprits, which encourages them to assume that they will get such shelter," he added.
Meanwhile, former West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee president Pradip Bhattacharya alleged that the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) Government in the state has failed to take action against such crimes.
"We fully support this notice sent by the commission. A nun was raped and there can be no crime more heinous than this. Goons have realised that if the law is broken in West Bengal, the state government will take no action," he said.
Taking suo motu cognisance of reports that a 71-year-old nun was gang-raped in Nadia district, the NHRC has observed that the gang-rape of the nun, if true, amount to serious violation of human rights of the victim.
Accordingly, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, West Bengal, calling for reports in the matter within two weeks.
Eight people have been detained in connection with the case so far after the police officials released CCTV footage of the perpetrators.
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation across the country, with the TMC assuring a thorough inquiry into the matter.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also asked for a report from the state government.
