Kolkata:
West Bengal minister and senior Trinamool Congress chief Swapan Debnath’s remark about girls consuming throughout the mega protest within the state has sparked an enormous controversy. A video is being circulated on social media by which the minister is heard saying that throughout the “Reclaim the night time” protest in his space Purbasthali, a lady and two males have been noticed sipping beer at a resort.
“What if one thing untoward had occurred to the girl? Our males had saved vigil at the moment. But when they weren’t round?’ he purportedly mentioned.
Urging mother and father to be extra vigilant, he added, “Your daughter went for protest demanding security for different girls. However monitor what she is doing exterior after midnight… Any untoward incident will make the state accountable. We’re definitely chargeable for the security of girls. However these on the market even have a duty,” he added.
He additionally mentioned he has requested the resort homeowners in his space to not promote liquor to girls after midnight.
The Trinamool has, nonetheless, distanced itself from the remarks of the minister, who handles the animal husbandry division.
“We can not dictate any particular person’s behaviour, man or lady. Whether or not she ought to have drinks or not or the place she is going to go. We aren’t into ethical policing,” mentioned Trinamool chief Kumal Ghosh, underscoring that the celebration doesn’t endorse such remarks.
“However the underlying notice of concern for the security of a lady, which is obvious within the remark of Swapan Debnath, shouldn’t be missed on the identical time. It’s one other matter whether or not he ought to have expressed his views in such a way within the first place,” he was quoted as saying by information company Press Belief of India.
The ruling Trinamool Congress has come beneath large stress following the rape-murder of a younger physician at Kolkata’s RG Kar hospital on August 9, which had triggered protests throughout the state and had ripple impact throughout the nation. The state authorities confronted robust questions within the Supreme Court docket concerning the steps it has taken to strengthen safety in medical schools since.
The federal government’s knee-jerk response — that girls not be placed on night time shifts — additionally drew extreme reprimand from the court docket. “How are you going to say girls can not work at night time? why restrict girls docs? your obligation is to supply safety, you can’t say that girls can not work at night time. Pilots, military and so on. all work at night time,” mentioned Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud.
At this time, the state Chief Secretary issued an order to make sure girls’s safety in medical establishments. The notice contained detailed directions which included making certain ample availability of on-duty rooms, washrooms, CCTVs, deployment of police and safety personnel which would come with girls, cellular police groups for surveillance at night time, central helpline and panic buttons and alarms.
The official has additionally ordered an audit of safety in any respect state-run medical establishments.