West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted on Wednesday that her government has zero tolerance for incidents of rape, adding her government will introduce a Bill in the state Assembly next week to amend the existing laws to ensure capital punishment to convicted rapists.

Speaking at the foundation day of party’s student wing, Banerjee warned the state governor of the protest outside the Raj Bhavan here if the governor delays in giving assent to the amended bill or forwards it to the President for ratification.

The Trinamool Congress supremo also said that her party will launch a movement from Saturday at the state’s grassroots to create pressure on the Centre to pass legislation for capital punishment.

The Chief Minister also urged the agitating junior doctors of West Bengal, who have struck work for 20 days now to urgently consider returning to duty.

In her appeal, she said: “I have remained sympathetic towards the cause of the doctors from the very beginning since they were seeking justice for their colleague. We did not take any action against them although so many days have passed since the incident. We understand your pain. But please come back to work now since patients are suffering.”

“Sixteen days have passed since the Central Bureau of Investigation took over the doctor’s rape-murder probe from the Kolkata Police. Where is the justice?” Banerjee asked.

Coming down heavily on the BJP for calling a 12-hour bandh, Banerjee said, “They called the bandh since they wanted political dividends over a dead body. The BJP is trying to exploit the emotions of ordinary people in the wake of the death of the young woman. They want to malign Bengal and plotted a conspiracy to derail the probe into her death so that the victim and her family do not get justice.”

She also alleged that the BJP was “indulging in large-scale cyber crimes using AI, causing social unrest”.

Lauding police personnel for countering the ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ violence on Tuesday, the chief minister said, “Police acted in restraint despite provocations of BJP-backed outfits who wanted to kill. Despite suffering physical injuries and having their blood spilt from the attacks on them, the police did not fall prey to provocations.”

At the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, a postgraduate trainee woman doctor was allegedly raped and murdered on August 9. Following a massive protest over the agony and lack of trust in the state police, the case was transferred to CBI by the High Cout. The investigation is still on in the case.

The junior doctors of state-run hospitals have been continuing ceasework since the August 9 evening, protesting against the alleged rape and murder of the woman medic and demanding justice for her.

In a significant boost to manufacturing, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the development of 12 new industrial smart cities under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP) with an estimated investment of Rs. 28,602 crore.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday announced that the projects, worth ₹28,602 crore, aim to transform India’s industrial landscape.

This move is set to transform the industrial landscape of the country creating a robust network of industrial nodes and cities that will significantly boost economic growth and global competitiveness.

Spanning across 10 states and strategically planned along 6 major corridors, these projects represent a significant leap forward in India’s quest to enhance its manufacturing capabilities and economic growth.

These industrial areas will be located in Khurpia in Uttrakhand; Rajpura-Patiala in Punjab; Dighi Port in Maharashtra; Palakkad in Kerela; Agra and Prayagraj in UP; Gaya in Bihar; Zaheerabad in Telangana; Orvakal and Kopparthy in AP and Jodhpur-Pali in Rajasthan.

Vaishnaw disclosed only 11 of the 12 city names, citing the model code of conduct due to upcoming Assembly elections in Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir as the reason for withholding the final name.

The NICDP is designed to foster a vibrant industrial ecosystem by facilitating investments from both large anchor industries and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

These industrial nodes will act as catalysts for achieving $2 trillion in exports by 2030, reflecting the government’s vision of a self-reliant and globally competitive India.

According to government data, the new industrial cities will be developed as greenfield smart cities of global standards, built “ahead of demand” on the ‘plug-n-play’ and ‘walk-to-work’ concepts. This approach ensures that the cities are equipped with advanced infrastructure that supports sustainable and efficient industrial operations.

Aligned with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, the projects will feature multi-modal connectivity infrastructure, ensuring seamless movement of people, goods, and services. The industrial cities are envisioned to be growth centers for transformation of whole region, as per the information.

The NICDP is expected to generate significant employment opportunities, with an estimated 1 million direct jobs and up to 3 million indirect jobs being created through planned industrialisation. This will provide livelihood opportunities and contribute to the socio-economic upliftment of the regions where these projects are being implemented.

The projects under the NICDP are designed with a focus on sustainability, incorporating ICT-enabled utilities and green technologies to minimize environmental impact. By providing quality, reliable, and sustainable infrastructure, the government aims to create industrial cities that are not just hubs of economic activity but also models of environmental stewardship.

Declaring that enough is enough, President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said it is time for India to wake up to the perversion of crimes against women and counter the mindset that sees women as less powerful, less capable, and less intelligent.

Murmu further said that those who share such views then go further and see the female as an object. “We owe it to our daughters to remove the hurdles from their path of winning the freedom from fear,” Murmu said in a signed statement shared with news agency PTI.

Referring to the August 9 rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in West Bengal’s Kolkata, a dismayed and horrified President Murmu said what is even more depressing is that it is part of a series of crimes against women.

Murmu said no civilised society could allow daughters and sisters to be subjected to such atrocities. “The nation is bound to be outraged, and so am I,” she wrote.

The impactful and personalised piece, titled “Women’s Safety: Enough is Enough,” marks President Murmu’s first public expression of her stance on the tragic August 9 Kolkata incident, which has once again stirred the nation’s conscience and sparked widespread and ongoing protests.

In the midst of protests in Kolkata, President Murmu highlighted the concerning fact that criminals were free to commit offenses in other locations, even targeting young girls such as those in kindergarten.

Recalling a recent encounter with schoolchildren during Raksha Bandhan, Murmu shared their innocent inquiry about the likelihood of preventing future incidents akin to the tragic Nirbhaya case in Delhi back in December 2012.

She reflected on the past 12 years since that incident, acknowledging that despite initial outrage and planning, many similar tragedies have occurred, with only a few receiving widespread attention, questioning whether the lessons have truly been learned.

President Murmu emphasised the constant struggle women face in securing their rights due to deep-rooted social prejudices and opposing customs, which perpetuate the detrimental view of women as inferior beings.

She pointed out that the objectification of women by a segment of society is a significant factor contributing to crimes against women, calling for a joint effort from both the State and society to counter this mindset.

While recognising the existence of laws and social initiatives, Murmu highlighted a persistent obstacle hindering progress in addressing crimes against women.

Addressing the tendency for societies to ignore painful history through collective amnesia, Murmu passionately urged for a thorough exploration of the underlying issues of crimes against women, stressing the importance of collective remembrance and learning from past failures to foster a more vigilant future.

She called for honest and unbiased self-reflection within society to identify errors and rectify them, underlining the necessity of addressing these challenges to ensure the equitable rights and freedoms of all individuals.