Congress leader Pawan Khera calls for more strict laws on rape amid growing outrage over Kolkata incident

New Delhi [India], August 28 (ANI): Amid the growing outrage over the alleged murder alleged sexual assault of a female trainee doctor in Kolkata, Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera reiterated the demand for more strict laws on rape and called on the ruling party at the Centre for holding discussions over the issue.

“…We are constantly demanding that either make the law more strict (for incidents like rape) or take opinions from all of us, sit together and talk, and behave like a responsible ruling political party. You (BJP) do selective outrage…,” he told ANI, referring to growing protests over the Kolkata incident.

“You (BJP-led Centre) should take steps in that direction on how we can implement the law strongly, so that the crimes against women, which are constantly increasing, can be reduced…,’ Pawan Khera added.

He was responding to the recent incidents of rape reported across the country, including the alleged sexual assault of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in the West Bengal city of Kolkata.

On August 25, a minor was allegedly gang-raped within the premises of a hospital in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur, as per police.

Earlier in the month, a minor girl and two girls were allegedly sexually assaulted in the Dhing area of Assam and Maharashtra’s Badalpur respectively.

In West Bengal, BJP called for a ’12-hour Bengal Bandh’ after Kolkata police resorted to lathi-charge, the use of water cannons and tear gas against the protestors in the ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ rally.

On August 27, chaos broke out in the streets of Kolkata. Security personnel lobbed tear gas shells, used water cannons and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse protestors on the Howrah Bridge marching towards the West Bengal State Secretariat Nabanna, amidst the growing protests over the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.

The murder and alleged sexual assault of a female trainee doctor on August 9 at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital caused national outrage and many rallies have been held in different states of the country.