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Indian Express
26 minutes ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
The rape incident in Kolkata's law college is a dark moment — it should also be a turning point
The alleged gang rape of a 24-year-old law student inside a Kolkata college campus is not merely a tragic anomaly — it is a grim indictment of a state system that increasingly fails to protect the vulnerable, especially women. Allegedly involving a former Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) leader and taking place in the guardroom near the student union office, this act of brutality unfolded in what should have been a space of safety and community. Only months earlier, a postgraduate trainee at R G Kar Medical College was raped and murdered. While the CBI eventually concluded that it was the act of a lone individual, public outrage and the victim's father's remarks revealed a deeper fear: That institutional spaces in West Bengal are becoming dangerously unsafe, and that politics often shields the guilty. One of the most alarming aspects of the law college incident is the alleged involvement of an ex-TMCP leader — a reminder of how political affiliations can enable a sense of impunity. Even as the ruling party publicly condemned the act and sought distance, its silence on the broader issue of student safety and political interference speaks volumes. West Bengal's crime rate against women in 2022 stood at 71.8 per lakh population, significantly higher than the national average of 66.4. Conviction rates remain worryingly low. While Kolkata has been ranked the 'safest city' statistically, Rekha Sharma, then chairperson of the National Commission for Women, rightly pointed out that underreporting and police inaction — due to political pressure — distort the picture. Student union elections — which once served as a training ground for democratic values — have been suspended in most colleges across the state for over a decade. In their absence, political proxies often fill the vacuum. These unelected groups, backed by ruling-party networks, consolidate informal authority without accountability. This dynamic is especially dangerous in institutions of higher learning, where dissent, student safety, and democratic governance are critical. The Calcutta High Court recently directed the state's higher education department to draw up a roadmap for holding these elections, calling out the long-standing statutory failure. Yet without active political will and monitoring, any such roadmap risks remaining on paper. To understand this ecosystem, political theorist Dwaipayan Bhattacharyya's concept of 'franchisee politics' is instructive. According to him, West Bengal's ruling party sustains itself not only through electoral victories but through territorial micro-control by local power brokers. These 'franchisees' operate under the umbrella of 'Brand Mamata,' delivering services, extracting rents, and managing dissent at the grassroots level. Such franchisees often act outside legal frameworks. In many cases, their power depends not just on their proximity to the party, but on their ability to intimidate, suppress opposition, and monopolise resources. Educational institutions, particularly those lacking independent oversight, become easy targets. In recent years, reports have detailed how TMC leaders or affiliates have issued threats, made misogynistic remarks, or enabled intimidation to silence dissent or critics. This culture, especially when allowed to fester in youth politics, sends a clear message: Loyalty is rewarded, while wrongdoing is rarely punished. While much attention is rightly placed on political complicity, it's vital to also view these incidents through a gendered lens. Sexual violence is not only a political failure but a structural outcome of entrenched patriarchy. When male-dominated institutions — whether political, educational, or legal — treat women's bodies as collateral damage in power struggles, violence becomes normalised. Rape is not just an act of lust or anger; it is often an assertion of dominance, enabled by systemic failures and cultural silence. Unless both patriarchy and political capture are addressed together, safety reforms will remain cosmetic. The safety of students — and of women in general — cannot be restored without urgent and tangible reforms. For one, regular student union elections ought to be reinstated across the state and they should be monitored by independent bodies to ensure legitimacy and transparency. Second, the police must be guaranteed autonomy to investigate cases without political interference. There need to be empowered internal complaints committees and crisis cells in all higher educational institutions, staffed by gender-sensitised professionals. There must also be a public commitment to zero tolerance for politically affiliated violence, with action against those who use party connections to intimidate or coerce. Survivors must also be empowered by improving access to legal aid, mental health support, and fast-track courts. The alleged gang rape in Kolkata's law college is a dark moment — but it should also be a turning point. If West Bengal wishes to remain a state that values education, equity, and justice, it must break the grip of informal power networks and reestablish the rule of law within its institutions. Anything less would betray not just the victims, but the future of its youth. The writer is a political anthropologist and teaches at Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Government College, Kolkata.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Kolkata gangrape horror: Students say 'Mango' was a predator shielded by power, had disturbing history of sexual violence
Monojit Mishra, also known as Mango, the main accused in the gangrape of a 24-year-old college student in Kolkata, reportedly had a long history of disturbing behaviour, including signs of psychopathy and a tendency towards sexual violence, according to his former classmates and juniors, as reported by TOI. Students said Mishra had a pattern of making unwanted proposals to several female students, including the survivor, using the same line in Bengali: 'Tui amay biye korbi?' (Will you marry me?) A pattern of abuse ignored? Mishra had earlier been expelled from the college's Trinamool Chhatra Parishad unit in 2021. However, students claim he continued to roam freely on campus and used his influence to control WhatsApp groups and college information. 'He was a constant threat, especially to girls,' a third-year student said. 'We even gave a formal sexual harassment complaint to the teacher-in-charge, but nothing came of it.' Students allege that Mishra morphed photos of girls and shared them, recorded intimate moments with women and circulated them among friends, and often body-shamed female students. Despite several complaints of molestation, harassment, extortion, and even assault, no strict action was ever taken. Live Events Campus culture of fear A first-year student said Mishra had power because of his links with the students' union. 'Those close to the union could get away with anything. They shared obscene jokes and photos in student groups all the time. We kept quiet because we were scared,' the student said. Others recalled that Mishra had also threatened students who joined last year's 'Reclaim the Night' protest, a movement held after the RG Kar rape and murder case. Co-accused also known faces One of the co-accused, Promit Mukherjee (also known as Riju), had reportedly taken part in protests last year, ironically demanding the death penalty for the accused in the RG Kar case. Another accused, Junaid, is from Howrah. His house was found locked on Saturday. Neighbours said they were shocked. 'It's disturbing to hear Junaid's name in this case,' said local resident Abbas Sheikh. Inputs from TOI
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
Filmed private videos, body-shamed girls, faced molestation complaints: How 'Mango's' campus abuse was ignored for years; a toxic mix of clout, impunity
NEW DELHI: Even before the horrific 'gang-rape' allegations against Manojit Mishra stunned Kolkata, many students at the law college knew him not for his legal acumen but for the unchecked power he allegedly wielded on campus — and the fear he instilled among women. A college insider has now revealed that Manojit, also known as 'Mango', had a long history of recording private moments of women, morphing their pictures and sharing them in WhatsApp groups for amusement and ridicule. 'He filmed private moments with women and showed them to his friends. He recorded almost everything. He and his aides used to click photos of women and post them in groups, body shaming and maligning them,' she said. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Another source said that multiple complaints of molestation, harassment, assault and even extortion had been filed against him with the college authorities and police. "The party had been alerted too, but no action followed," the source said. Real influence stemmed from politics Manojit's fall from grace was neither sudden nor unpredictable. He first enrolled in 2007 and later rejoined the college in 2017, but reportedly dropped out midway during both stints. Despite being ousted from the college's Trinamool Chhatra Parishad unit in 2021 over rowdyism, he returned the following year — not as a student, but as a contractual staff member, armed with a governing body appointment letter. In 2022, he formally graduated and began practicing at Alipore court. But insiders say his real influence stemmed not from the law, but from politics. "He was the 121st candidate in a class with 120 seats. Everyone knew it. But no one questioned it, thanks to his political backing,' said a batchmate. A toxic mix of clout and impunity Even after the dissolution of the college's official Trinamool unit in 2017 — following an incident where Manojit allegedly led a group to vandalise the principal's office — his grip on campus only grew stronger. Sources say he operated without formal party designation, but acted as the de facto TMCP strongman on campus. Pramit, Manojit, Zaib He ran college WhatsApp groups where he allegedly removed students at will, used access to staff rooms, and organised events with full authority. Students claim that his leadership style was not only intimidating but deeply misogynistic. Estranged at home, feared on campus Back home in Kalighat, Manojit lived alone. His father, Robin Mishra — a local priest — had severed ties with him five years ago. The two live just four houses apart but haven't spoken in years. "Let the law take its course. If he's done it, let him be punished. The survivor is also someone's daughter," Robin said. Neighbours described Manojit as volatile and disruptive. 'There were always fights, drunken brawls, people screaming outside his house,' one said. 'One of the co-accused seen on TV was here recently after another drinking session.' His mother and sister had reportedly moved out years ago. His grandmother, who lived with him, passed away in 2023. (The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
‘Virtually ran the college': TMC student wing member accused in rape case had free run of institute even after graduating
Monojit Misra, the main accused in the rape of a student at a Kolkata law college, is a member of the ruling TMC's student wing and a former president of its college unit who wielded immense clout in the campus even after completing his graduation. Misra, 31, was among three people arrested in the case. The two other arrested persons, Zaib Ahmed (19) and Pramit Mukherjee (20), are also members of the college's Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) unit and Misra's associates. The Indian Express spoke to current and former students as well as local TMC members who alleged a string of offences on campus by Misra, his outsized influence there, and his flaunted closeness to local party leaders. Students pointed to the fact that the college's governing body — its president is TMC MLA Ashok Deb — appointed Misra as a 'casual' clerical staffer after he had passed out. 'Misra was the TMCP unit president in the college before he passed out. Earlier, he was accused of ransacking CCTVs put up by the authorities in the old campus of the college. Even in the new campus, he was accused of abducting a student of a rival TMCP faction,' alleged a former student. 'He was suspended twice for all this. But after he passed out, he was appointed as a casual clerical staff by the governing body of the college,' said this person, who is also a TMCP member. The person said: 'Misra formed a gang of students in the college. He called it Team MM. The two other accused persons are members of this group.' Indeed, a graffiti on one of the college walls reads: 'Monojit da is in our hearts (Team MM)'. The text 'arma sobai TMCP samarthak (We are all TMCP supporters )' appears above it. Misra's most recent role in the TMCP was as one of the secretaries of its South Kolkata unit. Trinankur Bhattacharya, the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad president, said: 'He was once with Trinamool Chhatra Parishad. But now he is not. Whoever he may be, be it a party leader or not, he should be given exemplary punishment if found guilty. We condemn such incidents.' Another student and TMCP member said:. 'He virtually ran the college and his diktats were to be followed by the students. From Saraswati Puja to symposiums to party programmes, he was at the helm of everything in the college.' Misra is a resident of the Kalighat area. A Kalighat TMC leader said: 'We don't know how the party gave him space in the law college. He always tried to be close to local TMC councillors and MLAs.' Misra's Facebook timeline appears to bear this out, with multiple photographs showing him with TMC leaders. There are also several photographs and posts related to the college. His bio describes him as a lawyer with the Alipur police and sessions court and an organisational secretary of the South Kolkata TMCP. Debanjan Dey, the state secretary of CPI(M) student wing SFI, said: 'Monojit Misra is a known criminal from Kalighat. Many cases are pending against him. Even after that, he was given a job in this college. Why did not take action against him?' Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari posted on X: 'This incident is not just a crime, it is a blatant proof of the corruption of educational institutions by the leaders of the Trinamool Congress student wing. The Trinamool student leaders are repeatedly abusing their power to create an atmosphere of fear and anarchy in educational institutions.' TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, meanwhile, posted on X: 'Police to see that maximum punishment should be given. However we must be careful. Such boys sometimes come close to our party and then they will do their will and do shameful acts. The leaders with whom this boy has worked locally should be careful.'
