As protests over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital escalated, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has welcomed the Calcutta High Court’s decision to transfer the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Banerjee has urged the CBI to expedite the probe and bring the case to a close by Sunday, and has called for capital punishment for the perpetrator.
In her address, Banerjee condemned political parties for what she described as “cheap politics” and appealed to the protesting doctors to return to work, emphasizing the severe impact on healthcare services. She highlighted the tragic deaths of three individuals, including a minor and a pregnant woman, due to the ongoing strike. “I urge doctors to resume their duties. If it makes you happy, I will touch your feet and request you to help people with medical assistance,” she said.
Banerjee also criticized the Opposition parties, specifically the CPI(M) and BJP, accusing them of attempting to politicize the incident and fuel unrest in the state. She announced that the Trinamool Congress will hold protests in all blocks, wards, and municipalities on August 17 against what she termed the “Baam-Raam” (BJP-Left) conspiracy to tarnish Bengal’s reputation.
BJP IT Cell Head Amit Malviya responded to Banerjee’s remarks, describing her announcement as “shocking and insensitive.” In a post on X, Malviya criticized the Chief Minister for allegedly using the tragedy for political gain, and vowed that the people of Bengal would respond at an appropriate time. “Is it a crime to raise a voice for a young lady doctor who was killed in cold blood?” Malviya wrote.