‘Criminal negligence by state & Central authorities’: Trinamool blames PM Modi, Bihar Min for death of Dalit rape victim

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Tuesday held Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Health minister — and Bengal BJP in-charge — Mangal Pandey directly responsible for the death of a minor Dalit rape victim in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. The party alleged that the victim was denied urgent medical treatment as essential resources and personnel had been diverted to facilitate a political event attended by the Prime Minister. TMC also condemned what it termed “criminal negligence” by both state and Central authorities in responding to the medical emergency that followed the brutal rape and assault on May 26.

According to reports, the victim, allegedly raped by a repeat offender, remained untreated for days at a local hospital due to administrative delays. The minor victim was kept waiting for 4 hours inside an ambulance outside Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) before being admitted. Condemning the incident, taking to X, Trinamool stated: “A Dalit girl in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, was raped and assaulted, but her critical admission to PMCH was delayed because the state administration was consumed with organising PM @narendramodi’s rally on January 29. Tragically, she died after being recklessly overdosed with sedatives. SHAME on #NariBirodhiBJP #DalitBirodhiBJP!” Trinamool Congress’ women wing chairperson, Chandrima Bhattacharya demanding accountability from the Bihar health minister said: “An innocent Dalit girl in Bihar was raped and lost her life due to medical negligence. Bihar’s Health minister Mangal Pandey, who is also the party in-charge in Bengal, should give answers. Why isn’t he concerned about how the healthcare infrastructure of Bihar has collapsed? Why was she not brought to the hospital at the right time? Why did she have to lose her life due to lack of treatment?”

Bhattacharya further stated: “The irony is that BJP leaders talk about women’s security. Even PM Modi speaks about women’s security. If they were truly concerned about women and girls then such incidents wouldn’t have happened. Who should be held accountable for the situation of Bihar’s healthcare collapse?” TMC leader Shashi Panja holding the administration responsible, took to social media and stated: “A tragic death occurred on May 30. But what happened before that? On May 26, a Dalit minor was raped and was brutally injured but she didn’t even get proper medical treatment. Her family made efforts and took her to the Sri Krishna Medical College but she was left in that manner. This is because the police and administration were busy over Modiji’s visit to Bihar.”