Kolkata, Aug 28 (IANS): A special two-day session of the West Bengal Assembly will commence on September 2 to pass a bill proposing capital punishment for convicts in rape and murder cases.

The proposal to hold the special session was cleared at a meeting of the state committee on Wednesday which was chaired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

“We will move a bill within 10 days seeking capital punishment for culprits in rape and murder cases. We will send it to the Governor and if he doesn’t pass the Bill, we will sit on indefinite protest outside the Raj Bhavan. This Bill must be passed... The Governor cannot evade accountability this time. Why should rapists not be hanged,” said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while addressing the foundation day of her party’s students’ wing Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP).

The decision of the state government to move the bill comes at a time when the state administration is already under fire after the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital.

There have been allegations against the administration to hush up the matter. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), following orders of the Calcutta High Court, is already conducting two parallel probes - the first being on the rape and murder case and the second being on the alleged financial irregularities at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital.