BJP targets Mamata over Jaynagar girl death; block road at CR Avenue

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a severe criticism against the Mamata Banerjee-led government following the discovery of a class 4 girl’s body in a canal in Kutali, West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district. The minor, who was allegedly raped and murdered, has become the center of a growing political storm as the opposition party accuses the state government of negligence in ensuring women's safety.

Agnimitra Paul, a BJP leader and Member of Parliament, along with several party members, led a protest in Kutali, demanding justice for the nine-year-old girl. According to the BJP, the minor was returning home from tuition when she disappeared, only for her body to be found the next day. The discovery has sparked widespread outrage, with accusations that the local police did not act swiftly in filing a First Information Report (FIR) when the girl’s parents first reported her missing.

Addressing the media during the protest, Agnimitra Paul criticized the Kultali police for allegedly failing to file an FIR promptly, despite the parents' repeated pleas. She further expressed distrust in the state government’s handling of the case, calling for the girl's postmortem to be conducted at a central government hospital to avoid any interference. "Those who have seen her body noticed injuries similar to those on Abhaya's body," she claimed, referencing a previous controversial case. "The body should be preserved, and a CBI inquiry should be initiated to ensure justice."

Paul also held the Chief Minister directly responsible for what she described as a lack of action on the part of the state police, stating, "The CM needs to take responsibility as she protects the accused." She added that she had spoken to the girl's father, who supported the demand for preserving the body and ensuring a transparent investigation.

Earlier in the day, BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also lashed out at Mamata Banerjee’s government over the incident. In a scathing post on X (formerly Twitter), Poonawalla accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of protecting criminals and rapists. "Under Mamata Banerjee, no Maa, Maati, Manush or woman is safe... Only rapists are," he wrote. He added that the local police refused to take the villagers' complaint against the crime to avoid upsetting the Chief Minister.

Poonawalla posted a video on social media where he leveled allegations against the West Bengal government, claiming that they provide institutional support to criminals. "From the RG Kar case to this latest tragedy, the TMC government continues to offer protection to the perpetrators of violence against women," he alleged.

The BJP Youth Wing also staged demonstrations at CR Avenue, blocking roads and burning tires in protest against the handling of the Jaynagar case. Protesters demanded swift action and a full inquiry into the crime, echoing the calls for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case. They vowed to continue their agitation until justice is served for the deceased minor.