- 7/2/2025
This episode of To The Point programme discusses the gang rape case at a Kolkata law college that has exposed a horrifying saga of assault.
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00:00Good evening, you're watching To The Point. I am Preeti Chaudhary. Let me quickly take you through the headlines.
00:09Sickening victim shaming by Monojeet calls scratch marks, love bites, scratch marks on rapist Monojeet's body found, marked show survivor fought during gang rape.
00:20Siddharth Maya's big message to DKS loyalists. Siddharth says, I will remain chief minister for five years. DKS helpless has no other option but to back chief minister. Loyalists back chief minister change.
00:40Death toll in Telangana. Factory blast rises to 40 shocking lapses in safety and oversight. Factory operated without a fired NOC.
00:50Dalai Lama blanks out China in mission succession. Dalai Lama appoints body to name next leader. China sees red, rejects Dalai's succession plan.
01:09Mega GST bonanza likely for middle class and the poor. GST rate cut to help middle class poor goods in 12% GST slab may come in 5% bracket.
01:20Standard British Royal Navy F-35 completes 19 days in India. Sparks meme fest in Twitter. Kerala tourism shares posters saying, Kerala, the destination you'll never want to leave.
01:35All right viewers, let's get you the latest coming in from Kolkata and the state of West Bengal.
01:48What started as a chilling cry for justice after a brutal rape has now exposed a horrifying tale of assault while abusing political clout.
01:57But what is worse, the saga is now witnessing, witness shaming, denial and even trivializing the entire crime.
02:06Take a look.
02:06The South Kolkata Law College gang rape horror gets darker and uglier with every passing day.
02:17What started as a shocking case of gang rape is now turning into a chilling saga of abuse, denial and disgrace.
02:24The defence has crossed a new line.
02:27Accused Monajit Mishra's lawyer has made sickening claims in court,
02:30citing love bites on his neck as the so-called proof that this wasn't rape.
02:35I'm told a lot.
03:05While Monojeet's lawyer makes bogus claims of proof, here is actual physical proof of
03:11assault.
03:12Scratch marks were found on his body.
03:15Injuries confirmed during his medical-legal exam on Sunday.
03:19Reports say these are classic signs of self-defense.
03:22Deep scratches left by the victim as she fought back with all her strength.
03:26This evidence could prove crucial.
03:28A silent scream embedded in DNA.
03:32The grim and horrifying picture painted by the prosecution doesn't end here.
03:36There is evidence showing the victim lost consciousness during the assault, only to be revived and
03:41raped again.
03:42An act so brutal, it defies humanity.
04:02And as this case plays out in the courtroom, another voice has come forward.
04:17Another student from the same institution has come forward with her traumatic experience.
04:23She claims she was assaulted by Monojeet during a college trip two years ago.
04:28In her exclusive account to India Today TV, she alleges a pattern of predatory behavior
04:33involving at least 15 other girls.
04:36I had noticed that Monojeet Misha was the one who had locked the door.
04:42And he was staring at me and he was evidently very much under the influence of not just alcohol,
04:49but evidently also weed, he was drinking of it.
04:53And he had been advancing towards me with his buttons of the shirt opening, one by one.
05:02Any girl in my possession, including me, I sensed what was about to come and what could be this
05:08guy standing in front of me's intentions.
05:13On several occasions, Monojeet has been seen having close exchanges and interactions with DMC
05:18MLAs and leaders, proof of the political patronage he enjoyed.
05:22The question Bengal must ask is this, if the evidence screams, the survivors speak,
05:29and the public can see the truth, will the system still look away?
05:33Bureau Report, India Today.
05:38Alright, you know, the fact is viewers, it needs to be looked in context of how is the ruling government
05:44reacting to it, because this man on your television screen clearly has been associated with the
05:48political party. To what depth has he been associated with that outfit needs to be investigated?
05:55But what has really come from the TMC?
05:57The political fallout over the tragedy has only worsened, which is clear.
06:01After the West Bengal Irrigation Minister and senior TMC leader Manas Bhunya,
06:07referring to this rape as a small incident, he later, of course, issued a clarification,
06:13claiming his statement was misrepresentated by the BJP. But he isn't alone. Earlier, TMC MP,
06:20Kalyan Banerjee and MLA Madan Mitra also made similar comments, trivialising the horror.
06:25The BJP has launched a scathing attack on the TMC government, calling the incident
06:29TMC-sponsored. Listen in.
06:30PMC-sponsored.
06:46Is it related to my statement with Kasbah?
07:14Is it related to my statement with Kasbah?
07:44Is it related to my statement with Kasbah?
07:46Is it related to my statement with Kasbah?
07:51Is it related to my statement with Kasbah?
07:53Is it related to my statement with Kasbah?
07:57Is it related to my statement with Kasbah?
08:21Kasbah?
08:23Is it related to my statement with Kasbah?
08:25Is it related to my statement with Kasbah?
08:57Is it related to my statement with Kasbah?
09:01Is it related to my statement with Kasbah?
09:03Is it related to Kasbah?
09:05Is it related to Kasbah?
09:07Is it related to Kasbah?
09:09Is it related to Kasbah?
09:11Is it related to Kasbah?
09:12Is it related to Kasbah?
09:13Kasbah?
09:14Is it related to Kasbah?
09:15Is it related to Kasbah?
09:16Is it related to Kasbah?
09:17Kasbah?
09:18Is it related to Kasbah?
09:19Is it related to Kasbah?
09:20Is it related to Kasbah?
09:22The fact is, you know, it's not the first time we have you.
09:24The last time around as well, when the Kolkata rape had taken place, you were on our channels
09:29multiple times.
09:30So I'm very sure that you're very apologetic with what has happened because understanding
09:33the nature of the crime.
09:35But having said that, crimes happen in every state.
09:38Sadly, unfortunately, Dr. Paja, ultimately it depends on how the government deals with
09:42it.
09:43Yes, the accused has been arrested.
09:44But what has been the political messaging?
09:46Right before you spoke with us, I'm sure you heard a legion of voices, some of them extremely
09:51senior, coming out, trivializing the entire issue.
09:55Do you think it's correct?
09:57And if it is incorrect, why is it that not a single person who is from your political
10:02party, be it Mr. Rabhishek Banerjee or even the Chief Minister has spoken of it?
10:07Priti, we have in the past, in fact, I myself have been in one of your shows of this channel,
10:18and we have also mentioned that absolutely early when these comments came from our senior
10:28leaders, the MPs, we've said that these are comments, their own personal comments, and that
10:34this is definitely not the view of the party.
10:38Definitely not.
10:39It will never be yours.
10:41And they have been told that if you have personal bickerings amongst yourself, you need to resolve
10:47it amongst yourselves.
10:49And this, you cannot speak on behalf of the party, because this is not the viewpoint at
10:54all.
10:55There will never be such a way.
10:57So I think the party has put it out in the media, the social media, which actually reaches
11:04out to many more than any individual speaking in one channel at a time.
11:09So all of you have points there in the public domain.
11:12It's the, what the party says is the view of the leadership is the view of the highest
11:19indifference.
11:20And that is why they have been castigated, and they have been told to refrain from such
11:25misogynistic remarks, because definitely this is not the view of the party.
11:31And we are really exasperated by this, by the continuous, the way it has been shown every
11:40day.
11:41In fact, we are definitely exasperated, also embarrassed.
11:45This should not have happened.
11:47And this is not the view of so many leaders who are there in the party and even of our party
11:54workers.
11:55But Dr. Panja, would you reckon it's correct to platform, continue to do so, personal opinion?
12:02Should personal opinions even be allowed other than just causing embarrassment and castigation
12:06by the party?
12:07There has to be some action, tangible action that is taken against these leaders, so they
12:11are made an example of.
12:13None of that has happened.
12:14Dr. Panja?
12:15No, see, the party has spoken to them.
12:19And I don't think you need, if you are trying to say that the party, in fact, even we have
12:26in our press have spoken against this.
12:29I don't know what else you really think by which you would be convinced that the party
12:38has castigated them.
12:40Dr. Panja, I would think the correct measure, and correct me if I'm wrong, you're a politician,
12:44you've seen, you know, you're not green behind the ears, you've seen far more many years
12:48than anyone else has.
12:50But I would think, you know, fair castigation would be suspension.
12:55Would you think that's too much?
12:57No, no, it's not for that.
12:59I mean, the very fact that they have been castigated is quite public too.
13:07If you are in Bengal, you will know that the party has castigated them severely on this.
13:13Okay, you could call it the tyranny of distance, Dr. Panja, you know, but the fact is, sitting
13:17here in Delhi and all across the country today, if we are viewing this, you're looking at
13:21it exactly in the same terminology that many other regional parties behave.
13:25There is no real difference then between a Samajwadi party's outlook towards rape or,
13:30you know, the TMC's outlook towards rape or let me even say the BJP's outlook towards rape
13:34where, you know, regional dynamics of a party come into question.
13:38No, Priti, in fact, you know, if you really think it very simply, as an individual too,
13:46such statements which they have uttered, it's something that they themselves have to be ashamed of.
13:52You know, it speaks of yourself. It speaks of your mentality.
13:58So, I think that is the biggest shame when you are ashamed of what has happened and you really have that guilt.
14:08So, nothing could be worse than that.
14:10You know, let me take this further. Because I'll tell you the messaging, you know, Dr. Panja, that is picked up on ground.
14:16Because I'll take it further. Where you have the accused in this case, he's got clear links to your party.
14:21It's been made very, very clear. The fact is, when cartelization of political parties happen in doling out political favors as in appointments,
14:29because this gentleman, I wouldn't call him a gentleman, but the rapist that he is, was a staffer at the college which is government run.
14:37He was part of students politics. Correct me if I'm wrong anywhere. I don't think I am though.
14:42But all of that is, was political patronage given to someone who had political affinity to your outfit.
14:50And that is what you're accused of today, where you have goons and thugs wearing your party colors and doing as they please.
14:58Well, yes, of course, we have disowned, distant, distanced ourselves.
15:04And also, we are ashamed that such people were ever associated with this part.
15:11Unfortunately, when it comes to the ruling party, many people take recourse, take shelter, and then they have this impunity of, you know, power, audacity, which should not have happened.
15:25And that is why we are facing flag for it. Have we ever defended ourselves? We have not.
15:30But truly, this is not the larger behavior of the party workers or the party guard.
15:37Very unfortunate. We are facing this. And we have never defended this.
15:43And of course, the governing body of the college is in the right position to answer, and they've answered your questions, I think.
15:50You've even reached out to the president of the GB as to why he was employed and all that technicalities have gone.
15:55So, all I can say is that it should not have happened.
15:59He was a recurrent offender. This has unfolded now for us.
16:02Dr. Panja, would you agree the TMC has now become the shadow of the whole party and ideology that you practically opposed with the left where the cartelization of power was concerned?
16:12Because whether you like it, ma'am, whether you don't, the image of your party, especially in your own state, somewhere down the line has come of a party of thugs and goons who can get away with practically anything because they wear the party colors and they have the blessings of the highest echelons of power.
16:30Preeti ji, as far as the image of the party, it's not because of this incident, but by and large, the people of West Bengal know that this party carries that image in which it's not only speaks about women empowerment, it also puts it to practice.
16:49These kinds of cases are then, you know, of course, inflicting damage to the work that we are doing throughout the year.
16:57So, it is not like, I really don't want to bring out political views of other parties, but they have started to butt in.
17:07In which there are views in the public domain where they say, they dictate what women should do.
17:14So, it's to all of us, it's to society at large, don't tell what the girls and the women, how should they behave.
17:21Tell the boys or the men that they should learn how to behave.
17:25You know, I'll come back to the question. This is the view of the party.
17:28You know, but Dr. Panja, you know, what you say is making perfect sense, but, you know, away from castigation, away from embarrassment, I would think there needs to be a time of self-reflection.
17:41It's happened many times, you know, in the past, during elections as well, where, you know, if you talk about cut money, if you talk about contractors, you talk about so many issues.
17:50Again, I'll come back to the cartelization of power, and that is a product Monajit Mishra of.
17:55Therefore, you know, Dr. Shashi Panja, is there reflection on that account today?
18:00And if there is reflection, why isn't, you know, like the senior echelons of the party, I will name again the chief minister or even an Abhishek Banerjee coming out, making a public statement on the same, saying that if someone who is associated with the party ever gets into business like this, they'll be held to be.
18:19Ma'am, when this party or the representatives of this party did a press conference, or when representatives like us are viewed on your channels, definitely, have I been castigated for saying these statements against our senior leaders who uttered those things that has Mahmata Mainanji or Abhishek Banerjee said, why have you said this?
18:44This is not the view. So that is the fact that when we speak, it is the view of our senior leaderboard, the senior most, and our senior leadership. So this is the view of the party that we are putting in front.
18:57But Dr. Panja, do you not think this case deserves merit of the chief minister coming out and making a public statement?
19:06Ma'am, there are, I would again say that if you look, I love the way that you are chasing us on this. And we also want to place ourselves on record. We are not taking defence of anything.
19:19But I wish we could chase on certain similar issues, which, and certain similar views being uttered by various other political representatives of various other parties.
19:32So that way, none should, you know, escape these scathing questions or the uncomfortable questions that you face.
19:38Dr. Panja, I would think, you know, at least on our network, my show, I don't think we make that difference.
19:45No, no, no, no. You really need to ask the views of the complainant whose complaint is going unheard. Oh, we've heard it, of course. But it's going unheard by all of you.
19:58And you know, it's against that Karthik Maharaj. So who's going to hear the complaint of that woman? I mean, neither the commission visits that woman. Nobody does.
20:10And the views of the Maharaj, who also has associated himself with a political party. What views he has of woman? He says that Hindu woman should also be, I mean, it's difficult for me to say.
20:24Fair point.
20:24It's there in the public domain.
20:25But Dr. Panja, you do reckon this is a bit of whataboutery, but yes, you're free and fair to make that.
20:31I knew you would say that. It is not at all. I mean, look at us. We are here. Did I evade appearance on your challenge? No. Are we evading the question? We are embarrassed. We are ashamed of this person. And of course, we do not support it. And of course, we will never support it.
20:52I've been telling these guys, whoever has such intentions, kindly stay away from Trenumur Congress. Trenumur Congress is not going to protect us.
21:01Dr. Panja, I understand.
21:02You see, we could have hidden all this. We could have hidden the investment. No, we didn't. Let the investigation unfold. All this is coming out. Even we are aghast at what is coming.
21:12Dr. Panja, you know, I thank you for joining us. Yes, you do come. You do take all the questions. And every time, you know, whatever you have to say is sobering. It's, you know, it's factual and it's empathetic.
21:26But beyond that, does it really percolate down? That we haven't seen happening. You think we try and target a specific party? Well, I don't think we try and do that, especially on this show.
21:36I'm going to let it be. And I would hope that a larger message would be sent out. And I would hope all our viewers who are watching.
21:42And I think this doesn't accord to just your political outfit, that any of this is not on, period. But thank you for taking the time out and joining us.
21:50Yes, you've taken all our questions. Some of them haven't been easy. I appreciate it. Thank you.
21:54I want to immediately now cut across, because we're going to take the conversation further. Joining me is Sanju Verma, national spokesperson, BJP.
22:02I have Monajeet Mandal, who is a political analyst, who clearly leans towards the TMC. I have Deepsita Dhar, CPM leader.
22:10I want to begin with Sanju Verma first. But Sanju Verma, the fact is the BJP is, understandably, and it should as well,
22:19as being the principal opposition in the state, now going after the government, talking of resignations.
22:27But the TMC government says that this can happen in any state. We've taken immediate action.
22:32That person concerned has been taken into custody. It's happened so many of your run states. What's the difference?
22:37At least they've been immediate in taking action.
22:40You know, Preeti, I heard that interview of yours with Shashi Panja, and hats off to you for asking all the tough questions, like you always do, of all of us.
22:50I will say, why I say the Kolkata Law College rape is not just another incident that can be dismissed. It is state-sponsored brutality.
23:00The reason is simple. Manojit Mishra, in 2013, has a case pending against him. He stabbed a fellow college student.
23:092017, there's a case pending for vandalism against him. As recently as 2022, Preeti, there's a sexual assault case pending against him.
23:18I fail to understand, when there are sexual assault cases pending against Manojit Mishra, what was the compulsion to make him a contractual faculty member just 45 days before this ghastly incident happened?
23:33And Ashok Kumar Deid, who's on the governing board of Kolkata Law College, the college in question, Ashok Kumar Deid and Manojit Mishra go back a long way.
23:46Manojit Mishra is a close confidant of Ashok Deid. So clearly there's a political nexus.
23:52And my limited point is this, and while Shashi Panja is not on your debate, this is also to her.
23:58Mamata Banerji, after the Arjikar medical rape last year, said that, you know, I will bring in the Aparajita bill.
24:07My limited point is, why has Aparajita bill not become a law yet? You get a bill.
24:12When CV Ananda goes, the governor asks you to send a technical report so that the bill can be, you know, made into a law, you refuse to acknowledge his request and Aparajita bill is still hanging in limbo.
24:24And my point is, Madan Mitra, very quickly Piti, Madan Mitra says, you know, had the girl, had the rape victim taken two or three friends with her, maybe this rape incident would not have happened, which is shameful.
24:36Kalyan Banerji, you know, says, so what if this rape happened? Do you expect the Kolkata police to be present in every nook and cranny? You know, the girl should have fought back.
24:48So, Madan Mitra, Kalyan Banerji, they epitomize how, you know, the Tribunal Congress has institutionalized sexual violence against women.
24:59It has been institutionalized under the incompetent members of Madan Mitra Banerji.
25:03All right. You know, today we are not using the timer because it's a subject that we don't want to get into with the timer.
25:09So we're trying to give our viewers a freewheeling chat, but let's all respect the time.
25:12And Manujit Mandal, the same applies to you. I want to bring you in. I also want to bring in Deepshita Dhar.
25:16But Manujit Mandal, you know, there are various questions to it. And the reason why we have Deepshita Dhar on this channel is because she fought an election against Mr. Kalyan Banerji from the Srirampur constituency.
25:27And that, I would reckon, political battle was if verbal sexual assault could have been, you know, a totem point of an election, that was fought on those grounds by at least Mr. Kalyan Banerji.
25:41And no action was taken. Absolutely not. And then, no action was taken, Manujit Mandal right now.
25:48The party can be embarrassed, the party can castigate, but you need to go beyond that to actually make tangible difference.
25:55And that doesn't happen with just pure embarrassment.
25:58I would take it from what the BJP spokesperson was talking about, you know, ignoring fully that her preeminence as a person whom Mr. President's fact is quite well known.
26:13Regarding the Aparajita bill, it is not being signed by the governor.
26:17And there are many such important bills which are lying pending, including a very famous case of the VCs recruitment in the state of Bengal.
26:2618 universities are without VCs because of your governor. And the universities are in total doldrums.
26:32So please don't talk about the activism of your governor in debauching these kind of cases.
26:38Regarding Kalyan Banerji, I think the party has taken a considered decision, considered stand.
26:43He is not being encouraged at all.
26:45His problem was, you know, different from what Madan Mitra and others were talking about.
26:51He couldn't articulate what he was trying to say. That cannot be condoned in any form of...
26:56There's a huge problem, Manajit Mondal. There's a huge problem, hear me out, sir.
27:01That a four-time sitting MP or rather, I think it's more, cannot, has an articulation problem.
27:08Because that is a huge problem with that.
27:10That is his problem. That is his problem. The party has not endorsed his government.
27:15The party has castigated one of the senior most MPs of the party in public.
27:21I mean, if you have this kind of example from other political parties...
27:24All right, okay. Manajit Mondal, take a minute, sit back, as I bring in Dipsita Dhar,
27:27and I will circle back to you. Allow me, sir. Allow me to bring in, you know, the other spokesperson.
27:33And I'll circle back to you. This might be the problem of the leaders who are, of course, trivializing the issue.
27:39The main problem with the political outfit of the TMC is the cartelization of power.
27:44And that is, in effect, present in the form of Manajit Mishra. And there can be multiple layers to it.
27:50And that will come back to you. Because there seems to be a sense that you can get away as long as you wear the party colors and you hoist the party flag and you go for that political march.
27:59Dipsita Dhar, I want to bring you in. You know, you fought an election against Mr. Kalyan Banerjee.
28:05It wasn't an easy election to fight, especially where the slurs were concerned.
28:10So, how do you, of course, you come in from the CPM view with what's going on?
28:17See, I just want to remind the TMC spokesperson here that I think it's fine that he says that Mr. Kalyan Banerjee was not articulated when he was kind of victim blaming,
28:29when he was telling it's not state responsibility to give safety and security to a student who is studying in our campus.
28:36But I just want to, I want to remind him, just a few months back, Mr. Kalyan Banerjee does a press conference there in Delhi and says that the fellow,
28:48a member of parliament, Muha Muitro, who is from the same party as Mr. Kalyan Banerjee and Mr. Mondol is supporting,
28:54that she is a woman who is in the politics because she is friend or she was girlfriend with some congressman.
29:01The fact that she is in politics is not because of her political credentials, but because of the personal relationship that she had.
29:08He, as a member of parliament, had been telling such misogynistic comment about a fellow member of parliament who is from the same party
29:17and tell me how that person still remained in your organization by giving him that impunity that even if you, you know, put misogynistic slurs to your own MP,
29:27you can stay rightfully inside your party. Aren't you giving a message to all this Monojit Mishraat in different, different colleges
29:34that till the time the badge of Trinomul Congress is on your chest, no matter if you're a molester, no matter if you're a rapist,
29:41you can just go like that, nothing will happen. And Ms. Shoshi Baja came to your, you know, show just a few minutes back
29:48and she was telling that how Ms. Mamata Banerjee have taken a very stern position for the woman in Bengal.
29:53I just want to remind you, after she becoming the chief minister, the first woman chief minister in Bengal,
29:58when her gang rape happened in Park Street, she was the one who came in front of everyone and said that all these gang rape
30:05are just fabricated cases. These cases are here just to malign me. Few months after that, when a minor girl was raped and killed,
30:12she said, we have to see whether there was an affair between the rapist and the woman or not, whether she was pregnant or not.
30:19By saying this, when the Supreme of Trinomul CongressâĻ
30:22So you're just saying there isâĻ
30:24What do you expect from Kalyan Banerjee and Mother Mitra?
30:26Okay. I want to go back to Sanju Verma and I'll come back to you, Monajit Mondal.
30:29The point is, Sanju Verma, many would think, and you might call it what about it, that it's a tad rich coming in from the BJP.
30:37Because, look at the likes of Bridge Bush and Sharon continue to be patronized by the BJP.
30:43You've had, like the TMC says, the arrests in Varanasi rape where the students were concerned associated with the IT cell of the BJP.
30:51It took many days even for heads to roll there.
30:54So there are multiple questions and, sadly, it seems all political parties are cut from the same cloth.
31:03You know, Preeti, I was expecting this question and I'm glad you asked me.
31:08I have been on a zillion debates and I've categorically said,
31:11if Bridge Bush and Sharon Singh is guilty, let him be guillotine, let him face capital punishment.
31:17I'm not going to be endorsing his credentials.
31:19If the Delhi High Court, on the recommendations of Delhi police, has closed the case, you know, let's take the judgment at its face value.
31:27But today I will not allow the TMC or the Darbari ecosystem to divert from the fact that Mamata Banerji is a failed chief minister, a failed home minister, a failed health minister.
31:38And I want to ask one thing of Shashi Panja. I'm sure she's watching your show, though she's not on your panel right now.
31:44She said that we have the highest number of women MPs. We believe in women empowerment. So these are the missing 12.
31:53And I don't support Kalyan Banerji's misogyny against Mahua Maitra.
32:22Who she marries, when she decides to marry, is her personal business. We have no business getting into her personal business.
32:29I'm not going to be supporting Mahua Maitra, who's today trying to take the moral high ground.
32:35I remember after Sandesh Khali, this is the same Mahua Maitra who was giving bites to every television channel,
32:42saying, you know, Sandesh Khali gang rate is a figment of BJP's imagination.
32:49Sandesh Khali's every month has given 200,000 rupees so that they could blame the TMC.
32:55You know, so should I say karma catching up? No. I'm not going to use such loose terminology on your show.
33:02We'll end with this. Preeti, bear in 20 seconds. 2.5% the lowest conviction rate of sexual offence cases, the credit belongs to West Bengal.
33:17Thanks to incompetent Mamka Ganarji, who actually had the audacity to say, after the Hamsa Khali gang rape,
33:24she basically blamed the victim, saying, who knows whether this 14-year-old was having an affair which went wrong or whether she was actually gay.
33:38When you have a woman chief minister showing zero empathy, this is what will happen. You will continue seeing this kind of reaction.
33:45I want to bring in the TMC spokesperson right now and I want to go to Monajeet Mondal.
33:49Monajeet Mondal, there are various issues in this and one of them clearly stems from a fact because there seems to be patronage.
33:56There seems to be no hard action ever taken against people who are constantly accused and the glaring example of it is Monajeet Mishra,
34:06who very clearly has multiple accounts of sexual assault against him, yet he's not just institutionalized in the system, he's alsoâĻ
34:17Mitra, go ahead.
34:18Miss Chothori, it is actually you are allowing a classic case of diversity from the real issue.
34:25What is the real issue? Preeti, tell us.
34:28The real issue is the rape and the malice that this country is suffering from, irrespective of the party.
34:35The real malice is the sovereignistic, patriarchal mindset, including the MPs who are coming from cutting across political lines.
34:43They don't know what is to be spoken in public. They don't know what is to be articulated.
34:47They don't know, even that that is not, you know, very for the women in parliament and the spokesperson,
34:52including the very honorable spokesperson from the BJP.
34:55I mean, look at the way she castigated Mohamed when the case about her advocate friend came up two years back.
35:01She was checked out of the parliament. Now they are crying for the shame Mohamed was through.
35:06So, my God, this is political convenience and nothing else. We supported her at that point of time. We are supporting even now.
35:13And to my good young friend from the left party, I mean, do you know the history of your political party?
35:19A disabled person was raped. The kind of massacre that we have been committing since 1977.
35:25I do not even want to talk about all these cases and justify this kind of horrendous crime.
35:34This is a crime against women and all political leaders cutting across political lines to talk about them.
35:40Now comes the real issue. Look at the action taken by the Kolkata police.
35:44The stupendous job that Kolkata police has been doing.
35:48They were doing the same thing in the Arjigar cases, but the case went to CBI and the whole course was botched up.
35:53Here in this case, and Priti, please bear me 10 seconds.
35:56The victim's family is opposing CBI.
36:00They have gone to the court today. That really speaks volumes about the action of the state.
36:05She was talking about the state-sponsored brutality.
36:07Okay.
36:09Hang on. Haas Kali, who is investigating CBI? No result.
36:12Sandesh Kali, who is investigating CBI? No result.
36:15Post-poil violence, who is investigating CBI? No result.
36:18Okay.
36:19Or on the other hand, Park Street, justice, and Kambuni justice given by...
36:22Okay. But, all right. Each of them, Monajeet, Monajeet, I want to bring in Deepshat Adhar.
36:25But, you know, the two of the three that you named, there was the political commentary around it practically eclipsed the action.
36:32And that political commentary around it was deeply embarrassing for the BJP, you know that better.
36:37Right from Park Street, if you want to hark all the way back.
36:40But, Deepshat Adhar, to get you back in, you know, not with what happened with your fight with Kalyan Banerjee.
36:47But there is a point that Monajeet Mondal is making.
36:50TMC came to power in Kolkata, opposing everything that your party stood for.
36:56And that was the epitome of cartelization of power and doling out favors where, you know, the party was concerned.
37:04Exactly the same playbook.
37:05They might have become better than what you are, but they were exactly the same.
37:10See, that was the only question, then there was no need of any change.
37:13The moment, whenever you are going to ask a question to the Trinomul people,
37:17they're going to bring you back to what happened in 1977.
37:20Let me assume that whatever has happened in the last 34 years was the worst thing possible.
37:25That is the precise reason there is a change, right?
37:27There is a precise reason people have voted for Trinomul.
37:29Now, what is the point?
37:30You change a government and then you say, since everything was happening from the past, we are just continuing it.
37:35Then there is no point of changing it.
37:37Tell me there is a change in the orientation on how the state government was behaving.
37:41He just mentioned about, I think when he talks about the disabled woman being raped and burned, she was talking about Tapsi Malik.
37:48Let me just remind my good friend, a little older, from Trinomul, that after the Tapsi Malik incident, when CBI took the case,
37:56and the person that they accused of being as the person who has done the rape and the murder and everything,
38:03after a long time it could not be proven.
38:05And few years after that, the father of the victim, Tapsi Malik comes, Tapsi Malik's father comes and say that I am not going to vote for Trinomul
38:13because it is the Trinomul people who have raped and murdered my daughter.
38:17Now, Mr. Monujit Mondal must answer that who are these people that you are patronaging?
38:22What is the state patronage for all kinds of rapists and criminals?
38:26And I am just going to take 10 seconds, Priti. The thing, the main issue, what Mr. Monujit Mondal was also talking about, the main issue here is rape, yes,
38:34but also what is the power, what is the power structure from where a 32-year-old boy comes and say that I have done rapes previously also.
38:43I have molested women inside my college previously also. I didn't assume that this girl will go to police.
38:49This is something that the accused is saying to the police, from where this impunity comes.
38:54He is saying last time also I have called one brother from my party who has saved me.
38:59This time also I thought this is going to be taken care of. Who is this brother?
39:03That's the problem and that's exactly the question that we posed to Dr. Shashree Panja.
39:07But I want to give all of you 30 seconds to put your point forward.
39:10I am not using the timer today just because the nature of the debate.
39:13But please, you know, stay in that time limit. Let's begin with Ms. Varma. Go ahead, Ms. Varma.
39:19You know, Priti, the NCRB data, some of it is provisional, but this is the data.
39:23Highest number of sexual assault cases in India are from West Bengal.
39:282021, it was 1.69 lakh cases.
39:322022, it was 2.87 lakh sexual assault cases from West Bengal alone.
39:38And lo, behold, 2023, it gets even worse. 3.29 lakh sexual assault cases under the long and incompetent nose of Manta Banerji.
39:47I will end by just saying this to Shashi Panja. The date is 20th August. The year was 2024.
39:53A young woman was paraded naked in Nandigram. And Shashi Panja's video is all over the internet.
40:02There is no matter where the girls are. If the girls are gone, they are gone, they are gone.
40:08This is the kind of mindset that needs to be tackled.
40:13All right, Manta Banerji, please go ahead, sir. Make your point.
40:18Ma'am, allow me to bring in the other guests. Go ahead, make your point.
40:21I do not, again, I do not want to bring in Manipur, which is burning for the last two years, how the women were treated there.
40:29Everyone knows this country. Not even talking about now, Hathras or Banerjee in the university.
40:34Again, I repeat that this is not the time to bring in these issues to justify the horror that has happened.
40:40For God's sake, nobody could understand the kind of person this boy was or this man was.
40:46Nobody even in the media could understand. So, I mean, for God's sake, give us the benefit of doubt.
40:51People have, police have taken action.
40:53You know, Ma'am, I'm sorry, I gave you 30 seconds, but I'm going to interview you and I'll ask you,
40:56how do you give yourself the benefit of doubt where this man has multiple cases?
41:00One second, sir. Multiple cases against him or sexual assault and you institutionalize him again?
41:06The moment that the police did not even take 12 hours to take action.
41:10Police did not take even 12 hours to take action the moment it was repeated.
41:14All right. Okay, there's no point asking you a question. It doesn't matter.
41:17Deep, sir, 30 seconds, sir. Ma'am, go ahead.
41:19Yeah, I just have three points to make first, particularly about this case.
41:23This man that we are talking about, he took admission in that college in 2007.
41:27Then he gets dropped out in between.
41:29Then again in 2017, he takes admission and completes his course in 2022.
41:34As much I know about the rules in university, if you get dropped out like that, there cannot be a readmission.
41:39So which were the power structure, which were the local political power that helped him in get the admission?
41:46Two, most importantly, that man had been claiming that he's a TMCP leader.
41:50If you're going to look into his social media, there are full, you know, evidences of different programs
41:55where he has been attending, not as a supporter, but as an organizer.
41:58Fair point.
41:59If Mr. Manojit Mondul is saying that there is a confusion about his identity, why didn't you found it out that this man does not become, is not a part of any of a committee?
42:08That's all the time that I have for now. I'm going to get into a break. I appreciate all three of you for joining us.
42:12You know, what about re-exists when it's got something to do with your own political outfit?
42:18And that's a classic display of that.
42:20But there are tough questions that the TMC must answer where self-reflection is concerned,
42:25where it's not about action taken. It is not about just this case.
42:29It's a larger malice that, right now, ails the TMC. Cartelization and political patronage,
42:36where most think that they can get away with practically anything.
42:39Shifting focus to the state of Maharashtra, language wars now singeing the social fabric of the state.
42:46Once again, an ugly assault by eminence goons in the state.
42:49Marathi hate brigade strikes near Mumbai now.
42:52A shopkeeper was assaulted for not speaking Marathi.
42:56Shocking assault, clearly, with what you see by language fanatics.
43:01But the people that you see on your television screen come from the MNS party.
43:08On camera, multiple blows, belted on the shopkeeper for not speaking Hindi.
43:17Till now, no action, no arrest by Thane police.
43:21All right. We're going to continue to get you more all of that.
43:33Also, of course, we was laying the ground for the upcoming elections where BMC is concerned.
43:39The date yet not announced, but a lot of what you see right now in terms of political posturing, muscle flexing, taking place with an eye on the BMC elections.
43:59Meanwhile, more news. In a major declaration of spiritual sovereignty, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has drawn a red line for China, releasing a formal statement dated July 2nd.
44:11The Dalai Lama reaffirmed that only the Dalai Lama trust will decide who succeeds him.
44:16Meanwhile, a rattled Beijing has rejected the plan, reiterating its intent to name a puppet Dalai Lama loyal to the Communist Party.
44:24The Dalai Lama has made it clear no external power implicitly pointing at Beijing can interfere in this process.
44:32Only the Tibetan Buddhist community and spiritual leaders chosen by him will oversee the search, recognition and validation of his reincarnation.
44:42If we speak of spiritual process, the search for the next Dalai Lama begins only after the current one passes away.
44:49Senior monks and the oracle narrow down on possible locations.
44:53A child believed to be the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama is tested.
44:58If confirmed by high Lamas, the child is then raised in monastic training.
45:03For decades, Beijing has tried to position itself as the authority to anoint the next Dalai Lama to install a pro-China figure.
45:11It's already imposed its own Panchan Lama while detaining the one chosen by Tibetans.
45:17I hereby reiterate that the Garden Fodrang Trust has sole authority to recognize the future reincarnation.
45:27No one else has such authority to interfere in this matter.
45:30If it is about Lama's reincarnation, when all the followers have unanimously said that the reincarnation should continue, then it is obvious that it will come.
45:38Since my 24th September 2011 statement, which states that the responsibility for doing so will rest exclusively with members of the Garden Fodrang Trust, the office of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama.
45:50They should consult the various heads of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions and reliable oath-bound Dharma protectors, who are linked inseparably to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas.
45:59They should accordingly carry out the procedures of search and recognition in accordance to past tradition.
46:05I hereby reiterate that the Garden Fodrang Trust has sole authority to recognize the future reincarnation.
46:11No one else has any authority to interfere in this matter.
46:14All right, let's quickly get you the latest coming in where international news is concerned.
46:21American lawmaker Brandon Gill faced backlash for criticizing New York City Democrat mayoral candidate for eating rice with his hands in an old video.
46:30Outreed after Gill asked Democratic Zoran Mamdani to go back to the third world.
46:36Here's a full report.
46:38What started as just lunch quickly became a cultural flashpoint showing how racism is well and truly alive in the West.
46:50A viral video shows NYC Democrat nominee Zoran Mamdani, in all probability the next mayor of New York, casually eating rice with his hands during an interview.
47:03Totally normal in South Asian households.
47:08But not, it seems, in Republican MAGA circles.
47:12Congressman Brandon Gill, the youngest Republican in the House and backed by Donald Trump, called Mamdani uncivilized and told him to go back to the third world.
47:24So let's get this straight.
47:26According to this politician, eating with your hands and without spoons and forks makes you uncivilized.
47:33Obviously, it's a view which has made the internet go, what the fuck?
47:39Not only is Congressman Gill being blindly racist, the irony in his statement is staggering because he is married to a woman of Indian origin.
47:48So it was then up to Mrs Gill to control the damage on behalf of her husband by claiming her parents in India to use cutlery to eat their food.
47:58But the internet never lets your lies go undetected.
48:01And immediately pictures propped up of Congressman Gill's father-in-law eating with his hands.
48:07Oh, Congressman Gill, first to be a racist, then to be a shameless hypocrite.
48:15No wonder India and the rest of the world is asking you to fork off.
48:20And also, next time, do tell Donald Trump as well how uncivilized he is.
48:26We are a report, India Today.
48:35Just to specify the hashtag trending is hashtag F-O-R-K-O-F-F.
48:41You're going to leave it at that.
48:42Thank you for being here.