Rape charges will boost party ranks: Trinamool leader

In the wake of accusations against the Trinamool Congress over the alleged gang-rape and murder of a girl in West Bengal, a ruling party leader Friday claimed such accusations will only bolster the party membership.

Joining the league of several of his party leaders who have made insensitive remarks, Trinamool's Jalpaiguri district president Sourav Chakraborty claimed that the rape and accusations would always exist.

"Rape is a social malady, which will continue happening and so will be accusations. The more the accusations grow, so will grow our party membership," Chakrabarty told media persons, reacting to accusations against his own partymen.

A day before her nude body was found by railways tracks in Jalpaiguri district Tuesday, the Class 10 student was seen pleading for the life of her father - a poor farmer - after a kangaroo court of the village rejected his request for more time to pay for a rented tractor.

Alleging that the kangaroo court was convened by local Trinamool leaders, the Left Front has sought Governor K.N. Tripathi's intervention.

Three people have been arrested in connection with the case.

Chakraborty's comments were strongly criticised by CPI-M leader Sujon Chakrabarty and women activists Miratun Nahar.

Earlier, Trinamool MP Tapas Paul had created a major controversy when he threatened to unleash his boys to rape Marxist women while party MLA from Diamond Harbour Dipak Kumar Halder set off an outrage by saying so long as the earth exists, rape will continue to happen.