Laws strong enough, implement in letter, spirit: Centre to Mamata

Union Minister Annapurna Devi on Friday asserted that existing laws were stringent enough to tackle violence and crimes against women and urged the West Bengal government to implement the same in "letter and spirit".

In a letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the second in a week, Devi, the Union Minister for Women and Child Development, said the state government has not operationalised additional 11 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSC) to specifically deal with cases of rape and POCSO cases.

Devi said West Bengal has established 88 Fast Track Courts (FTCs), which are not the same as the Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) covered under the Central Government Scheme.

Banerjee on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reiterating her request for stringent central legislation and exemplary punishment on heinous crimes like rape and murder.

Banerjee, who wrote to Modi a few days ago on the issue following nationwide uproar over the rape and murder of a doctor at the R