17 september 2024 : West Bengal minister Swapan Debnath has stirred controversy by suggesting that parents should keep an eye on their daughters during the ‘Reclaim the Night’ movement. He cited an incident where a protester was allegedly seen drinking alcohol with men, raising concerns about gender norms and personal freedoms.
Debnath stated that while the state government is responsible for any unfortunate events, the safety of women is a shared duty. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) quickly distanced itself from his comments.
In a video address to a crowd in Purba Bardhaman district, Debnath claimed that during a recent ‘Reclaim the Night’ event in Purbasthali, a woman and two men were spotted drinking beer at a hotel. Thousands of women participated in the third edition of the campaign on September 8, demanding justice for a doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital the previous month, marking a month since the tragic incident.
Debnath expressed concern, asking, “What if something had happened to the woman? Our men had kept watch, but if they weren’t there? My message to parents is: Your daughter attended the protest, which is fine, but she was later seen consuming liquor. We advised you to take her home and also asked the police to ensure her safety,” as reported by PTI.
He claimed to have urged hotel owners in his area not to serve alcohol to women after midnight. He stressed, “Your daughter went to protest for the safety of others, but monitor what she is doing outside after midnight. Any unfortunate incident will hold the state accountable. While we are responsible for women’s safety, those in attendance also have a role to play.”
The authenticity of the viral video could not be independently verified by HT.
In light of the backlash, senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh stated that the party does not support such remarks, emphasizing that they cannot dictate individuals’ behavior regarding drinking or their whereabouts. He added, “We are not into moral policing,” but acknowledged that Debnath’s concerns about women’s safety should not be dismissed, despite questioning how those views were expressed.
