Kolkata: In the face of Opposition criticism on rising cases of rape in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said such incidents were higher during the previous Left Front regime.
"Even a single case of rape is bad. According to (National) Crime Records Bureau, as per the complaints registered, there were 2336 cases of rape in 2009, 2311 cases in 2010, 2363 cases in 2011, 2046 cases in 2012 and 1590 in 2013," Banerjee said while replying to the debate on the Governor`s Address in the Assembly.
Quoting statistics of 2012, she said according to complaints registered, there were 585 rape cases in Delhi, 232 in Mumbai, 94 in Chennai, 90 in Bangalore and 68 in Kolkata.
Before her government came to power in 2011, she said, FIRs were not allowed to be filed in police stations.
Her government, she said, was for strong and prompt action against perpetrators. "We want that culprits should be charge sheeted in three months in fast track courts.
"Even if there is a single case of rape it is bad and we are for strong action against the perpetrators," she said, recounting that 65 all-women police stations were being set up to deal with crimes against women.
Banerjee said, "We need the co-operation of all to curb these incidents."
