NEW DELHI: TMC leader Madan Mitra on Saturday, while defending his party, appeared to blame the victim in the Kolkata law college gang-rape case, saying, “If someone calls you when the college is closed, then don’t go.“Addressing reporters in North 24 Parganas, the former West Bengal minister said the incident sent a message to girls about caution.

“If that girl had not gone there, this wouldn’t have happened. If she had informed someone before going or had taken a couple of friends with her, then this wouldn’t have happened,” he said. He further added, “The one who committed this dirty deed took advantage of the situation.”Mitra also attempted to distance the party from the accused, saying, “TMC is a big party. Someone or the other is associated with Trinamool everywhere… We get our photos taken with everyone, but what’s inside a person, only a psychologist can tell.”His remarks came even as the alleged gang-rape of the 24-year-old law student continues to trigger public outrage and political backlash in West Bengal. The incident, which took place inside the premises of South Calcutta Law College, has drawn comparisons to the earlier RG Kar case, reviving grim memories of systemic lapses.According to the student’s police complaint, she was raped by three men — Manojit Mishra, a former Trinamool Chhatra Parishad office-bearer now working on an ad hoc teaching assignment, and two junior students, Pramit Mukherjee and Zaib Ahmed. She alleged that the trio forced her into the college guard room, undressed and gang-raped her, filmed the assault, and threatened to leak the footage if she approached police.“When I resisted, one of them hit me with a hockey stick,” she said. “I touched his feet, but he did not let me go.” She also reported that she was confined for over three hours and suffered a panic attack. The assailants only allowed her to use an inhaler, denying her further help.All three accused were arrested within 24 hours. Later, the college security guard, Pinaki Banerjee, was also held. A five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed by Kolkata Police to probe the case. The accused have been remanded to police custody till July 1.The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and has demanded a time-bound investigation under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. BJP national president JP Nadda has also constituted a four-member inquiry team comprising Satpal Singh, Meenakshi Lekhi, Biplab Deb and Manan Mishra to visit the college and submit a detailed report.Meanwhile, BJP leaders across Bengal have mounted pressure on chief minister Mamata Banerjee. “This incident reveals the character of TMC and their thoughts towards women. I demand Mamata Banerjee’s immediate resignation,” said BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh.Union minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar was detained by police while protesting the incident. “This is the face of democracy in West Bengal… Mamata Banerjee has ruined it,” he said.BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra also hit out at the chief minister, saying, “There is an air of disbelief about where Bengal is heading. Where there is a female chief minister, there ought to be sensitivity towards women, so why is there such cruelty?”The centring of blame on the victim by a senior TMC leader has deepened political tensions and drawn strong condemnation from opposition parties and civil society groups, who have demanded accountability, justice for the survivor, and an end to institutional negligence.