Mamata on rising acid attacks in Bengal

Kolkata, Dec 13 : Pointing out that West Bengal was second in the country in incidents of acid attacks, actress-turned-BJP Rajya Sabha member Roopa Ganguly on Tuesday targeted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, wondering whether her concern was limited to the demonetisation issue.

"Is the concern of our Chief Minister for the welfare of the people of Bengal limited to the issue of demonetisation only?" Ganguly said in a tweet.

Expressing her dismay at the state of affairs, Ganguly said there were 59 cases of acid attacks in 2015 in the state.

"The state is second in terms of acid attacks in India.

"Chit funds, rapes, acid attacks, negligence in public healthcare, unemployment! How much more would people of Bengal suffer? Who has the answer?" she asked.

Attacking Banerjee, Ganguly said: "Where is she, when acid is brought and sold? When women await justice for years? When rape survivors are embarrassed by police and in courts?"

She noted that the Supreme Court had prohibited selling concentrated acids in 2013, despite which access to corrosives substances seems "shamefully easy" in Bengal.

"In 2016, there have been #acidattacks in Birati, Nadia, Hoogly etc. Their frequencies only increasing, day by day, year by year in Bengal,' she said.

Referring to the latest incident, she said the victim - a school student only 12 years of age - can never be normal again.

"Left eye has suffered a permanent damage. Her face rendered permanently disfigured. She can never have a normal life again."