Power Without Empathy: Mamata Banerjee’s Tone-Deaf Remark

Recently, our West Bengal Chief Minister - Mamata Banerjee recently made headlines: not for her governance or policies, but for a remark so tone-deaf it sparked national concern, and honestly, rightfully so. 

A few days ago, a 23-year-old second-year medical student from Odisha, studying at a private medical college in Durgapur, West Bengal, was sexually assaulted after leaving the campus in the evening. Responding to this assault, she questioned, “How did the girl come out at 12:30 a.m.?” and suggested that it should be the college's responsibility to make sure a woman does not leave the college at night. 

On the surface, this might sound like concern for a student’s safety. But in reality, it reflects a misplaced focus- one that questions a survivor’s choices. Be it what time was she out, or what clothes she was wearing instead of the violence done to her. Worse still, it comes from a woman in power, someone who should be standing with women and condemn such heinous crimes.

By focusing on why the student left her hostel instead of why someone assaulted her, Banerjee’s words obscure the real issue: that someone committed sexual violence, and they must be held fully accountable for it. When leaders frame safety as a matter of women’s behaviour, they inadvertently reinforce a culture where safety becomes a woman’s personal burden and as though freedom itself comes with terms and conditions.

What makes this all the more disturbing is the larger reality these remarks exist within. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), India reported over 31,000 cases of rape in 2023- that’s roughly 85 every single day. And yet, conviction rates remain low, and survivors often face intense scrutiny instead of support. Against this backdrop, public comments that hint at victim-blaming only make it harder for women to come forward.

Coming from a woman chief minister, these remarks don’t just miss the mark but echo the same old mindset women have fought against for decades. The idea that danger can be avoided through caution, that a woman’s safety depends on how she behaves, or when, at what hour she steps out. But gender-based violence is not a question of timing or clothing or curfews. It’s about power, and more importantly systemic failure.

And unfortunately, this isn’t the first time a woman in Indian politics has made such a remark. Over the years, several female leaders have questioned a woman’s choice: from why was she out at such an hour, to blaming her attire. A member of the National Commission for Women in 2021, suggested that a rape “could have been avoided” had the woman not gone out alone in the evening. All of these statements have echoed the same rhetoric that ends up policing women instead of protecting them. It reflects a political  culture where women in power often mirror the same patriarchal lens they should dismantle. 

Banerjee’s comment also reflects a wider issue of institutional accountability. Instead of asking whether the student should have been out at night, the real questions should be: why was she unsafe in the very first place? Why aren’t public spaces secure enough? Why do women still feel vulnerable? When leaders turn the focus away from these questions, the responsibility quietly shifts from the system to the survivor.

It’s also worth noting that Banerjee’s version of events was not factually accurate. She mentioned the girl left at 12:30 a.m., while the victim’s family and reports say the assault took place closer to 8 p.m. This discrepancy, however could very well just be unintentional, shows how quickly narratives can be shaped without full understanding and how damaging that can be in such sensitive cases.

Condemning a crime is not enough if, in the same breath, we also question the victim. Words from those in authority hold power and they influence how society views the person, how justice is pursued, and whether people feel safe coming forward.

This isn’t about political rivalry or assigning blame to one person for the sake of it. It’s about the need for compassion in leadership, the kind that listens and understands before it speaks. Every public figure, especially those in positions of power, has a responsibility to shape ideas, the way we look at things, what we condemn and what we simply let go of. Because in the end, justice cannot coexist with suspicion. And safety should never come at the cost of a woman’s freedom.