Sat Jun 28 18:30:33 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
A Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament (MP), Kalyan Banerjee, made controversial statements regarding the rape of a student at South Calcutta Law College. The TMC party publicly disassociated itself from his remarks, condemning them and emphasizing their “zero tolerance” stance on crimes against women. However, Banerjee doubled down on his comments, criticizing the party’s response and implying that leaders who joined after 2011 are complicit in shielding criminals. His remarks, made amidst widespread outrage over the sexual assault case, have sparked further controversy and criticism. He questioned how the government can protect students when the crime involves friends and said that people who disagree with him lack moral and intellectual alignment.
**News Article:**
**TMC MP’s Rape Remarks Spark Intra-Party Feud in West Bengal**
**Kolkata, June 29, 2025** – A storm of controversy has engulfed the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal after a senior MP, Kalyan Banerjee, made contentious statements regarding the recent rape of a student at South Calcutta Law College.
The TMC swiftly distanced itself from Banerjee’s remarks, releasing a statement condemning them as personal opinions that do not reflect the party’s position. “The party unequivocally disassociates itself from their statements and strongly condemns the same. These views do not reflect the position of the party in any manner whatsoever,” the TMC declared on social media, reiterating its zero-tolerance policy towards crimes against women and demanding strict punishment for the perpetrators.
However, Banerjee, a four-time MP from Sreerampur and the party’s Chief Whip in Lok Sabha, retaliated against his own party’s stance, accusing leaders who joined after 2011 of shielding criminals. In a defiant social media post, Banerjee questioned the TMC’s motives and implied a lack of moral conviction within the party. “Are they indirectly supporting the leaders who are shielding these criminals? Mere academic statements won’t bring any real change unless immediate action is taken against those leaders directly responsible,” he stated.
His comments, particularly his questioning of how the government can protect students in cases of sexual assault involving friends, have ignited further outrage in social and political circles. He also said that people who disagree with him lack moral and intellectual alignment. The timing is especially sensitive, as the incident has sparked widespread protests across Kolkata, and the opposition is criticizing the Mamata Banerjee government’s handling of the case. The prime accused in the sexual assault was previously associated with the student wing of the ruling party.
The intra-party conflict raises serious questions about the TMC’s response to the sexual assault case and internal divisions within the party. The incident continues to unfold.
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