Kolkata, July 15 (IANS) Senior Communist Party of India (CPI) leader and Lok Sabha member Gurudas Dasgupta Friday requested the Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government to take steps to check trafficking of women in the state.


"Hundreds of girls are smuggled out of Bengal every year. Most of them are minors. There are many places where they are smuggled and Pune is one of them. It is being done by organised gangs to earn money by forcing the girls into prostitution," Dasgupta told a media meet here.

Dasgupta, a veteran parliamentarian, himself took initiative in rescuing 38 girls, trafficked from different parts of West Bengal, from Pune's brothels. Thirteen of them have been brought back to Kolkata, while 25 others, including 10 minors, are in a rescue home in Pune.

"Most of the girls are from below poverty line (BPL) families. Most of them have been either abducted or lured out of their homes with the job assurance," Dasgupta said.

Dasgupta said he would write to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for prompt government action against the gangs and a special economic programme for the victims.

Dasgupta criticised the West Bengal police and administration for their apathy.

"I have lodged 156 FIRs in different police stations, talked to a very important police officer and a very top man in the administration. But they did not do their job," he said.