Political slugfest erupts in Bengal over Padma awardee monk accused of raping woman in 2013

Kolkata, June 28 (IANS) A political slugfest has erupted in West Bengal after a woman accused Padma Shree awardee monk Kartik Maharaj, who is posted with the Murshidabad unit of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, of allegedly raping her 12 times for six months in 2013.

As per the police complaint lodged by the woman, Kartik Maharaj raped her multiple times 12 years ago promising her a job at a local school.

The timing of the complaint coincides with the ongoing major stir in the state over the rape of a law student within her college premises at Kasba in South Kolkata on the evening of June 25.

The ruling Trinamool Congress is highlighting the issue in a major way and accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of being silent on it since the accused monk had been reportedly close to the saffron party.

Even the parents of the woman junior doctor of state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, who was raped and murdered within the hospital premises in August last year, have attracted the ire of the BJP leaders after they expressed apprehension on Saturday that there might attempts by a politically influential section in the state and a part of the state administration to shield the accused in the Kasba rape case.

State Trinamool Congress General Secretary Kunal Ghosh on Saturday claimed that the parents of the R.G. Kar rape and murder victim should not act in a politically biased manner and also express what they think of the accusations against Kartik Maharaj, who has denied all the allegations levelled against him.

The woman accusing Kartik Maharaj of raping her at least 12 times between January and June of 2013, had also claimed that the accused monk threatened her that he would commit suicide if she approached the police or reported the incident to any individual.

The district police in Murshidabad had already lodged a case in the matter and started an investigation.

The West Bengal BJP unit, too, had questioned the timing of the complaint.

"First, the complaint had been lodged 12 years after the alleged incident of multiple rapes took place. Secondly, the complaint had been lodged exactly at a time, when the state administration and the ruling Trinamool Congress are cornered over the Kasba law college rape case," said West Bengal BJP leader and Calcutta High Court advocate Kaustav Bagchi.

--IANS

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