Women, students should jointly combat sexual abuse: Mamata

Gangarampur (South Dinajpur): Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged women and students to come forward against sexual abuse, incidents of which have been alarmingly rising in recent times. Addressing a gathering to celebrate the International Mother Language Day here, she added: "The incidents of sexual abuse are on the rise and the women, the girls who get Kanyashree scholarships and those who get Sikshashree scholarships, should come forward to curb them."

Banerjee, who on Wednesday visited the Kushmandi gang-rape victim, undergoing treatment at Malda Medical College and Hospital, said the state government will look after her. She has already been given Rs 4 lakh and the state government will find a shelter for her. "The victim is my sister and is one of our family members. The state government will look after her," she stated.

She instructed doctors and health officials to take all precautionary measures to help the woman return to normal life as soon as possible, a top state government official said. "I am so sorry about the incident in which a woman was tortured. The accused have been arrested. I want her to return to normal life as soon as possible," she added.

The Chief Minister also announced a university for South Dinajpur. "On the auspicious day of February 21, which is celebrated as International Mother Language Day, I announced a university for South Dinajpur. But it will take some time to start," she said.

She also announced disbursement of Rs 2.40 crore for Gangarampur Stadium. "The stadium will have all modern facilities and will bring an improvement in sports in the area," she remarked.

The Chief Minister said under the Sabuj Sathi project, 70 lakh students of Classes IX, X, XI and XII in state-run, aided and sponsored schools, will be given bicycles. "By March, the distribution of 70 lakh bicycles will be over."

Banerjee said the Kanyashree project will help girls pursue higher education. She urged parents not to consider their girl child to be "a burden." "The society cannot move forward unless the women are self-reliant. They are the real power in every household," she added.

Coming down on the BJP, Congress and CPI-M, she said: "These parties have no business other than criticising my government. Because of CPI-M's faulty policy, we have to pay Rs 48,000 crore to repay loans, while the Congress is non-existent in Bengal.

BJP is coming here and before elections, they will try to create a divide between two communities," she said, adding: "In a bid to introduce a cashless system, BJP has made the banks cashless. The farmers who fail to repay loans are pulled up, while those who don't repay loans worth crores of rupees are allowed to flee."