Kolkata, Oct 13 (IANS) West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose on Monday met the Durgapur gang-rape victim and her parents and claimed that Bengal is no longer safe for women. Speaking to mediapersons after meeting the victim, Governor Bose said that a second renaissance is needed to make Bengal safe for women.

“This is not a first of its kind. In the recent past, we had similar experiences, really bad experiences. That is not honourable for Bengal’s society. Bengal’s society is one which led the renaissance of this nation. We want a second renaissance here. Bengal’s should be made a place which is safe for the girl child. Now I cannot say that with confidence that Bengal is safe. We have to own up our responsibility and see that justice is given to the victim,” said Bose.

The strong reaction from the Governor came after the second-year medical student from Odisha was gang-raped by five persons in a forest area outside a private medical college and hospital in West Burdwan district’s Durgapur on last Friday. Based on the complaint lodged by the victim, the police have arrested all the five accused persons in the case.

Governor Bose said what has happened is “outrageous and has shock the public conscious”.

“I am convinced that it is high time that the entire society must stand against the system and make it stop. We will do everything to give justice to the family. I talked to the victim. I talked to the parents. What we discussed will remain confidential,” he said.

He further appealed to the people of Bengal to stand against such crimes and ensure they do not take place in future.

“What has been done here is something that will shock anyone. If you have tears to shed, shed them now. Do everything possible to give justice to the victim and ensure that such things do not repeat in Bengal’s society in future,” he said.

Regarding his visit to Durgapur on Monday, Governor Bose said: “I wanted to come to the ground zero and understand for myself the feelings of the people who are affected. That has been done. I talked to the parents, I talked to the victim and I talked to the doctors. Now I have made an idea of what exactly happened and how it should be tackled. We will certainly take more steps to see that justice is done and this is not repeated in the future.”

–IANS

sch/pgh