TWO DAYs after a 24-year-old student was allegedly raped at a law college in Kolkata, the BJP at the central level on Saturday constituted a four-member fact-finding committee to look into the matter. The committee was announced by Union Minister and BJP national president JP Nadda, who condemned the incident and raised concerns over the law and order situation in West Bengal.

According to a statement issued by the party, the fact-finding committee will soon visit the site of the incident and submit its investigation report to Nadda.

“BJP national president, Jagat Prakash Nadda, has strongly condemned the heinous incident of gangrape of a student at Kolkata Law College and expressed concern over the state’s law and order situation,” the official letter said.

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The committee includes Satpal Singh, former Union Minister and ex-police officer, Mumbai; Meenakshi Lekhi, former Union Minister; Biplab Kumar Deb, Member of Lok Sabha; Manan Kumar Mishra, Member of Rajya Sabha.

Meanwhile, the police on Saturday stopped a BJP rally led by its state unit chief Sukanta Majumdar and detained him along with several other party leaders at Gariahat, in South Kolkata and were taken to Kolkata Police headquarters in Lalbazar.

“The rally was stopped at Gariahat crossing in south Kolkata, and Majumdar and several other BJP leaders were detained. They were taken to the Kolkata Police headquarters in Lalbazar,” a senior officer said.

BJP supporters staged a protest against the police outside Lal Bazar over Majumdar’s detention.

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Majumdar alleged that the Chief Minister is safeguarding and shielding the accused as they are associated with her party.

He further alleged that CM “Mamata Banerjee has ruined democracy” in the state and is crushing democratic voices.

“This is the face of democracy in the state of West Bengal,” Majumdar said.

“The police, who are a slave of the government, are not letting me make a statement to the media. I want to speak to the media and raise my voice, but they are crushing democratic voices,” the BJP leader further said.

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Majumdar stated in an audio message from jail that he would prefer to stay in jail rather than sign a bail bond. “The police every time has picked me up from the street during protest and brings me to Lal Bazar and releases me after I sign a bail bond. This time I have decided that a strong protest should be shown against the way the woman of this state are being raped and tortured , thus I will not sign bail bond for this if I have to spend the night in prison I will, I have no problem. I will not let anyone tamper with the respect, integrity and dignity of the women of Bengal,” the state BJP chief said.

“We condemn this act and we will protest in the Parliament and on the streets. It is being said that they (police) have arrested the accused, but that will not do, they have to answer why the incident occurred. Not only stringent punishment should be given to the accused but law and order should be maintained to keep the people of Bengal safe. Appeasement politics will no longer work in Bengal,” BJP Law and Justice minister Arjun Ram Meghwal told mediapersons.

Taking suo motu cognisance of the matter, National Commission for Women chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has written to the chief secretary of West Bengal directing urgent action along with the state police’s cooperation and security for the victim and her family.

In her letter, Rahatkar directed that the state police must fully cooperate with NCW member Archana Mujumdar, who has been deputed to meet the victim and her family, and also mentioned that the medical reports be submitted to NCW within three days.

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Congress Chhatra Parishad, meanwhile, held a protest in front of the law college and the local police station demanding justice for the victim and stringent punishment for the accused.