TMC Minister Manas Bhunia Calls Kolkata Gang-Rape a “Small Incident”? BJP Attacks, TMC Defends
Trinamool Congress (TMC) minister Manas Bhunia has triggered a fresh controversy in the already explosive Kolkata law student gang-rape case, allegedly terming the horrific crime as a “small incident”, prompting a scathing response from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The incident, which occurred inside South Calcutta Law College on June 25, has drawn national outrage.
Earlier, TMC MLA Madan Mitra and MP Kalyan Banerjee had also come under fire for trivialising the incident, further fanning the political storm.
🗨️ Amit Malviya Shares Video, Alleges TMC ‘Normalising Rape’
On Tuesday, BJP West Bengal co-incharge Amit Malviya posted a video clip on X, claiming it showed Manas Bhunia referring to the gang-rape as a “small incident” and urging party workers to move past it.
“TMC leaders are busy normalising rape to earn brownie points from their political boss — Mamata Banerjee,” Malviya wrote.
He pointed out that:
- Madan Mitra blamed the victim for her fate.
- Kalyan Banerjee, a sitting MP, asked: “What can be done if a friend rapes a friend?”
- And now Manas Bhunia allegedly dismissed the incident as minor.
“This is not just a crime. It is symptomatic of a party that has institutionalised misogyny,” Malviya said.
“Where a woman’s dignity is expendable, as long as the rapist chants the right political slogan,” he added, calling out TMCP links of prime accused Monojit Mishra.
⚠️ TMC Issues Clarification, Says Clip Was ‘Misquoted’
In a prompt rebuttal, the Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of running a ‘malicious smear campaign’, asserting that Bhunia’s comments were misquoted and taken out of context.
“The clip was maliciously edited to link Bhunia’s general remarks with the Kasba gang-rape, which he never referred to directly in that moment,” TMC claimed in an official statement.
Manas Bhunia also issued a personal clarification:
“Our party strongly condemns the Kasba incident. I, Manas Bhunia, also strongly condemn it. My comments were not about the incident and were deliberately misrepresented to malign me.”
He reiterated that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee does not tolerate such crimes, and prompt arrests had been made in the case.
🔍 Background: What Happened on June 25?
The 24-year-old first-year law student was allegedly gang-raped by Monojit Mishra, Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukherjee — all with links to the college. The assault took place inside the college’s security guard room after the survivor rejected a marriage proposal.
All three accused have since been expelled by the college and are currently in police custody until July 1.
Shame!
— BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) July 1, 2025
State Minister Manas Bhunia, echoing Mamata Banerjee’s stance, claims that rape is a “small incident” and that people create unnecessary noise every time such a case occurs!
This is the culture of TMC. Sometimes they question the character of the rape survivor, and… pic.twitter.com/3VDBZN38mv
📌 What Next?
While BJP is demanding accountability and justice, TMC insists its leaders’ remarks are being weaponized for political gain. The war of words continues as the survivor’s testimony and CCTV evidence have corroborated the crime, intensifying public pressure for swift and uncompromising legal action.
As outrage builds, questions remain over campus safety, political interference, and the culture of impunity.