Kolkata: National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma on Friday had expressed concern over the increasing incidences of crime against women in West Bengal.
At the same time, she has also alleged that the state police are not serious about addressing the issue of rape victims in the state.
State assembly elections are just a few months away and the opposition parties in the state are trying to make "organized crime against women in the state," a major issue in this poll campaign.
On the other hand, for the ruling Trinamool Congress women-welfare scheme like Kanyashree and Rupashree will be the talking point to woo the women voters in the state.
Now the question arises why these women related issues are so much in focus this year.
As per the statistics in the draft voters' list released by the Election Commission of India last year, the total number of women voters in the state has now increased to almost 49 percent.
Now, it had been seen many times in the past that the voting pattern of women has determined the outcome of the election.
Women voters played a key role in ensuring Nithish Kumar's return to power in Bihar as the chief minister in the 2015 Bihar assembly polls. He won the hearts of the women through his promise to enforce liquor prohibition in the state.
According to BJP's Lok Sabha member and general secretary, Locket Chattopadhyay, projects like Kanyashree and Rupashree only exist on paper for the general public.
"In reality, the family members of Trinamool Congress leaders and activists are benefitted by these projects. On the other hand, the crime against women is on the rise in the state. Rape, burning of women have become daily affairs in the state now. And unfortunately, everything is small incidents for Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee," she said.
According to CPI(M) leader, Madhuja Sen Roy, the level of crime against women has taken a horrible shape in the state.
"There is also no economic self-reliance of women in the state. These Kanyashree, Rupashree projects are nothing but falsehoods," she said.
Similar is the opinion of the Congress leader, Indrani Dutta Chattopadhyay.
"We have not forgotten what happened in Kamduni and Park Street. We have also not forgotten how the Chief Minister tried to downplay all these issues by describing them as minor incidents," she said.
However, the opposition's allegations were dismissed as baseless by the state's Minister for Social and Women's Welfare, Shashi Panja.
According to her, as per to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) statistics, violence against women is more prevalent in BJP-ruled states. "Women are safer in West Bengal than in other parts of the country. The state government has taken all measures to protect women in the state. The allegations against the state administration are baseless and politically motivated,” she said.
Assistant professor of political science, Sampurna Goswami looks at the issue with a slightly different approach.
"It is true that a project like Kanyashree is inspiring many girls to come to higher education these days. But still, Bengal is not free from the curse of child marriage or early marriage. Therefore, besides taking projects like Kanyashree and Rupashree further ahead, the TMC government should also ensure the protection of the rights of women," she said.
ETV Bharat talked to some women on this matter. Almost everyone said that if women's protection and rights are not ensured, all the projects will be fruitless.
Most of them said that state government should be more focused on stopping harassment of women and cracking down on the culprits.
Also Read: Opposition ruthlessly repressed in West Bengal: Governor
