Centre's strong response after Mamata Banerjee's letter to PM Modi: '123 fast track courts in Bengal but most of them not functional'

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

The Centre replied to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighting incidents of rape cases across India amid the outrage over alleged rape of woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata.  The Centre said that West Bengal has been allocated 123 fast-track courts, but most of them are not functional yet.

In a letter to CM Banerjee, Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi criticized the West Bengal government for failing to implement key emergency helplines such as the Women Helpline (WHL), Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) and Child Helpline.

In a pointed rebuke, she highlighted the state's inability to operationalize the Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) allocated to it under a centrally sponsored scheme despite a significant backlog of cases related to sexual offenses.

The FTSC scheme, launched in October 2019, was designed to expedite the trial and disposal of pending cases related to rape and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.

Under this scheme, the Central government allocated 123 FTSCs to West Bengal, including 20 exclusive POCSO courts and 103 combined courts for both rape and POCSO cases.

However, as of mid-June 2023, none of these courts had been made operational, the minister said.

"The State of West Bengal communicated its willingness to participate in the Scheme vide letter dated 08.06.2023, committing to start 7 FTSCs. Under the revised target, West Bengal has been allocated 17 FTSCs, of which only 6 exclusive POCSO Courts have been operationalized as of 30.06 2024. In spite of a pendency of 48,600 rape and POCSO cases in West Bengal, the State Government has not taken any steps to start the remaining 11 FTSCS. Action in this regard is pending with the state government," she added.

The minister urged the West Bengal government to take immediate and effective measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls.

Last week, CM Banerjee wrote to PM Modi citing that almost 90 cases of rapes occur daily throughout the country. She said this shakes the confidence and conscience of the society and the nation. She stated that such serious and sensitive issue needs to be addressed in a comprehensive manner through stringent central legislation prescribing exemplary punishment against the persons involved in such dastardly crimes.

On August 9, the victim's body was found inside the seminar hall of the state-run hospital's chest department. A civic volunteer, named Sanjoy Roy, was arrested in connection with the case.

With PTI inputs