Women's Wing Of Trinamool Congress Holds Protest Rally Against Hathras Rape

The Trinamool Congress continued on Thursday its protests against the alleged gangrape and murder at Hathras with members of its women's wing taking out a rally in the city demanding that BJP governments at the Centre and Uttar Pradesh take steps to ensure safety of women and minorities.

Speaking at the rally, TMC women wing president Chandrima Bhattacharjee deplored BJP's failure to stop "increasing attacks" on dalits, women and minorities in the states ruled by it and the Centre's alleged silence on such attacks that have taken place in the recent months.

The procession marched from Jadavpur to Golpark in the southern part of the city.

A similar protest march had been taken out by the party wing on Tuesday and was participated by hundreds of women activists.

Coming down heavily on BJP, Bhattacharya said while there has been no let up in attacks on women and dalits in BJP-ruled states, the saffron party has "unleashed anarchy" in West Bengal in the name of democratic protests.

"While our protests have always been peaceful, see how they (BJP) are instigating violence in West Bengal. BJP does don't believe in democracy," Bhattacharya said referring to BJP's march to the state secretariat during the day.

Some of the TMC rallyists flaunted 'I am Dalit' posters, while some others carried festoons.

Similar rallies were taken out in different districts of the state by women activists of the party.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had launched the party's series of protests against the alleged gangrape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit woman at Hathras which triggered nationwide outrage.

Banerjee had walked in the first protest rally by TMC on Saturday and had called BJP "the biggest pandemic in the country".

The party launched the series of protest rallies against the Hathras atrocity after a delegation including two party MPs led by Derek O'brien was prevented from meeting the kin of the deceased woman by UP police.