Kolkata, March 16
Claiming that Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Paul's "kill and rape" remark acted as a provocation, the BJP on Monday demanded a CBI probe into the gruesome gang rape of a septuagenarian nun in West Bengal's Nadia district.

"This incident is just an extension of Paul's threatening to kill opposition workers and rape their women," state BJP president Rahul Sinha told media persons here while condemning Saturday's gang rape of the nun of the Convent of Jesus and Mary High School in Ranaghat, some 80 km from Kolkata.

Paul, who represents Krishnanagar Lok Sabha constituency in Nadia, attracted widespread condemnation after he was caught on successive tapes exhorting people to kill Marxist activists and threatened to "unleash" his boys to rape their women.

Accusing the Trinamool of trying to give communal colour to the gang rape, Sinha called for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

"For the truth to come out, a CBI probe is must. Despite the incident being highly condemnable, the Trinamool is giving it a communal colour and trying to stoke communal disharmony. So we think a CBI probe is imperative," said Sinha, who also flayed police for failing to arrest even a single culprit two days after the incident.

Kolkata shows solidarity with gang-raped nun

 Their faces reflected the pain and agony but the steely resolve to get culprits punished was radiant all across as people from all walks of life, cutting across religion and creed, assembled in Park Street here and held a candlelight vigil to denounce the gang-rape of a nun in West Bengal's Nadia district.

Showing solidarity with the sister superior of the Convent of Jesus and Mary High School in Ranaghat, who was brutalised by bandits on Saturday, children and adults alike sung hymns and offered prayers but the hatred for the culprits and the anger over the administration's failure to nab them yet, was writ large.

Even as the air reverberated with Bengali and English songs of love, life and humanity, the anguish over the administration's inability to make headway yet was palpable.

Even Archbishop of Calcutta Thomas D'Souza, who had called the assembly to show solidarity with the rape survivor, didn't hide his displeasure.

"While the CID (Criminal Investigation Department) probe and the detention of eight people in this case is a welcome start, we are not happy yet because not much headway has been made in this regard.

"We urge the government and the administration to arrest the culprits at the earliest and bring them to justice," D'Souza said addressing the huge gathering at Allen Park in Park Street.

Similar sentiments reverberated with many of the youngsters flashing placards denouncing crime against women and demanding capital punishment.

"It's almost three days but police could do nothing. We want the rapists to be hanged, unless they are arrested and hanged we will not sit quite," said a youngster.

A large number of young and old women too lent out their voices in condemning the ghastly incident that has had caused revulsion in the state and beyond.

Calling for promoting love and humanity, the Archbishop said: "Every one of us is capable of bringing about the culture of love, humanity and respect for one and all. Let us create that culture."

A similar march was also held in Ranaghat where the people's patience seemed to be running thin.

"We had withdrawn our agitation only on the assurance that police will arrest all the culprits within 48 hours. Three days have passed but the police have not been able to even identify the culprits," said one of the locals.

Students of the convents and their guardians too participated in the rally expressing their anguish over the incident and the administration's failure to make much of headway.

State police chief G.M.P. Rajasekhar Reddy on Monday visited the school and held discussions with the investigators while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee later in day rushed to the spot and talked to the local authorities.

Bengal CM faces angry protests over nun gang rape

 Angry over the police's failure to arrest any of the dacoits who gang raped a nun in West Bengal's Nadia district, scores of locals on Monday stopped visiting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's convoy and staged a demonstration seeking action.

The nun at the Convent of Jesus and Mary High School in Ranaghat - some 80 km from Kolkata - was gang raped by the robbers in the early hours of Saturday.

Coming out of the Ranaghat Sub-Divisional Hospital after meeting the survivor, Banerjee's convoy was stopped by scores of angry protesters shouting "we want justice" and "we want CBI".

Repeated efforts by police officers and fathers of the convent to pacify the crowd proved futile.

A visibly upset Banerjee was seen talking angrily to the police officers present there.

Before leaving for Ranaghat, Banerjee held a meeting at the state secretariat in Kolkata and said that "strongest action" will be taken.

"No matter where the culprits are, strongest action will be taken against them. We have sent our best people for investigation and will catch the culprits soon," said Banerjee, who on Saturday ordered the CID to take over the probe.

Condemning the incident strongly, Banerjee assured that her government was giving very high priority to the "very sensitive" issue.