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The recent alleged
gang rape of a law student within Kolkata's South Calcutta Law College is not
merely another crime against women; it is a chilling testament to the insidious
ways in which patriarchal norms, political impunity, and institutional failures
converge to perpetuate violence and curb the freedom of women in West Bengal.
This incident, eerily reminiscent of the horrific R.G. Kar Medical College and
Hospital case less than a year ago, lays bare a deeper, more disturbing truth:
that for a certain breed of power-wielding individuals, especially within the
politicized campus landscape, violence against women functions as a means of
control, a tool for exercising dominance, and a chilling expression of a belief
that they can "get away with anything."
The parallels between
the Kasba and R.G. Kar incidents are stark and deeply unsettling. In August 2024, the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at
R.G. Kar Medical College sent shockwaves across the state.1 The victim's body was found in a seminar room, and a civic
volunteer, Sanjay Roy, was later convicted, albeit to a sentence many found
inadequate3,4. Both cases occurred within the very institutions
meant to be sanctuaries of learning and safety. Both involved alleged
perpetrators with connections, however tenuous or direct, to the institutional
or political fabric. The R.G. Kar incident sparked widespread protests against
violence against women in West Bengal, yet, as The Wire reported,
these protests did little to curb the rising tide of violence in the state[1].
The Kasba case further
amplifies this grim reality. The alleged gang rape of a law student, reportedly
by a former student with links to the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad
(TMCP)1,2,5 and two current students, highlights how
educational institutions have become fertile ground for the manifestation of
unchecked power. The victim's complaint, detailing how she was allegedly
confined, assaulted, filmed, and threatened with the release of the footage5, underscores the calculated cruelty aimed at not
just physical violation but also the psychological shattering of a woman's
autonomy and dignity. This is violence as a means of systemic oppression,
designed to instill fear and control.
At the heart of this
recurring nightmare is the insidious nexus of patriarchy and political
patronage. Violence against women, as numerous studies and lived experiences
attest, is fundamentally an act of power and control. In a society where
patriarchal structures often view women as possessions or secondary citizens,
the violation of their bodies becomes a perverse demonstration of dominance.
When this deeply ingrained misogyny finds fertile ground in a political system
that prioritizes loyalty over legality, the consequences are catastrophic. The
alleged perpetrator's reported links to the ruling party's student wing, as
highlighted by opposition leaders1,2, feeds into
the public's perception that political affiliation can offer a shield against
accountability. This perceived immunity is a significant enabler of continued
violence.
This alarming sense of
impunity is amplified by the extended absence of student union elections in
West Bengal. For over a decade, since 2013, with notable exceptions like
Jadavpur University, these elections have largely been suspended8. This vacuum in democratic campus governance has
created a power dynamic ripe for abuse. Instead of being accountable to a
student electorate, campus leaders often derive their authority from political
appointments or informal patronage networks. This allows for the rise of
"rowdy leaders" who operate with little fear of reprisal from their
peers.
The democratically
elected student union acts as a vital check and balance. It provides a formal
avenue for grievances, ensures student welfare, and, crucially, holds leaders
accountable through the electoral process. Without elections, these informal
"leaders" or "dadas" (strongmen) operate as local mafias,
controlling campus resources, influencing admissions, and often resolving
disputes through extra-legal means, as has been reported in the context of
"Syndicate Raj" in West Bengal9. Their power is
consolidated through a combination of fear and the belief among students that
aligning with them is necessary for navigating the institutional landscape.
When such figures are implicated in heinous crimes like rape, it tragically
demonstrates their conviction that their political ties will ensure they
"get away with anything."
The very act of threatening to leak videos of
the assault, as alleged in the Kasba case, is a stark manifestation of this
patriarchal control and the abusers' belief in impunity. It is a calculated
move to silence the victim, to weaponize shame and social stigma, and to
further curb her freedom by holding her digital existence hostage. This tactic
preys on societal judgments against victims of sexual violence, reinforcing the
patriarchal notion that a woman's "honor" resides solely in her
perceived purity, rather than her inherent dignity and right to bodily
autonomy.
The ruling Trinamool
Congress's reaction, while condemning the Kasba incident and stating that the
law will take its course1,2, often
struggles to shake off the perception of political interference. Previous
allegations of police being pressured to suppress complaints or influence
victims' families to withdraw charges in other cases of violence against women
in West Bengal, as documented by The Wire, contribute
to this skepticism1. When the state's narrative
focuses on its NCRB ranking as the "safest city for women" while
incidents of this nature continue to emerge, it highlights a disconnect between
rhetoric and reality, further fueling the perception of lawlessness and a lack
of genuine commitment to women's safety.
To dismantle this dangerous ecosystem, a
multifaceted approach is critical. Firstly, the immediate restoration of free
and fair student union elections is paramount. This would re-establish
democratic accountability on campuses, forcing aspiring leaders to genuinely
represent student interests rather than serving political patrons. Secondly,
there must be an unequivocal commitment from all political parties to disavow and
take strict action against any member, regardless of their position or
influence, found to be involved in criminal activities, especially those
against women. No political affiliation should ever be a shield for heinous
crimes. Finally, law enforcement and college administrations must be empowered
to act independently, free from political pressure, ensuring swift and
impartial justice. Only by dismantling the structures of patriarchal control
and political impunity can West Bengal truly hope to transform its educational
institutions into safe spaces where women can pursue their aspirations without
the constant shadow of fear and violence.
References:
4.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Kolkata_rape_and_murder
9.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syndicate_Raj
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