Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (File Photo).
Kolkata:
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee – already under fire from the BJP over the rape and murder of a doctor at a Kolkata hospital – hit back at allies Congress Wednesday evening, shortly after party MP Rahul Gandhi’s acerbic comment about the handling of the case by the “local administration”.
Ms Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress is part of the Congress-led INDIA bloc, also took on fierce rivals CPI (Marxist), declaring “heinous crimes” had been committed in Bengal while the Left party was in power and “many incidents” had been reported from Congress-ruled states.
“I want to ask Congress… how many incidents have taken place in your states… what action do you take? And under CPIM rule there were a plethora of heinous crimes (and) the then government was silent. Since there was no social media then… people were not so aware,” she declared.
Referring to iconic Left leader and former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, who died last week, she stressed “a lot of heinous crimes took place” while he was in power from 2000 to 2011.
Hours earlier Mr Gandhi said on X that “the attempt to save the accused, instead of providing justice to the victim, raises serious questions on the hospital and the local administration”.
READ | “Attempt To Save Accused…”: Rahul Gandhi On Doctor Rape-Murder
The Congress MP’s sharp tweet, which included a reference to the horrific Nirbhaya episode in Delhi in 2012, marked an escalation in the Congress’ comments on the RG Kar rape and murder case, following careful remarks earlier by his sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
The Congress and the Trinamool are allies but their relationship is volatile, a state of affairs emphasised in the build-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha election, when there was heated speculation over seat-sharing. Eventually the Trinamool contested on its own, against the Left and the Congress.
Till Mr Gandhi’s tweet the Congress had maintained a guarded silence on this case.
Apart from Mamata Banerjee, senior Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh also spoke out, calling Mr Gandhi’s allegations “baseless”. “Before making such remarks, he should check… he must not forget the dismal track record on women’s safety during the Rajiv Gandhi regime at the centre…”
“Abuse Me As Much As You Want…”
Ms Banerjee also slammed the BJP – which has launched protests demanding her resignation.
“Abuse me as much as you want… there are people running a smear campaign on social media. But do not abuse ‘Bangla Maa…'” she continued, invoking the party’s ‘Maa, Mati, Manush‘ war-cry.
Ms Banerjee holds Bengal’s Police, Home, and Health ministries, each of which places her firmly in the crosshairs of the BJP and her critics, who have demanded accountability from her and her government amid allegations of serious lapses by hospital administration and even the state police force.
READ | Why CBI Got Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder Case: Court’s Remarks
The High Court had taken a dim view of claims by the doctors’ parents – that the police were negligent.
The cops, though, responded, saying reports they first treated the rape and murder as ‘suicide’ and rushed to cremate the body, potentially destroying evidence, were false.
Since points 1 & 2 concern Kolkata Police, we wish to clarify:
1. Reports of KP informing the family about a possible suicide are false. The family confirmed the call did not come from KP
2. KP didn’t cremate the body of deceased. It was her family who cremated her. https://t.co/ktoVv8scjZ— Kolkata Police (@KolkataPolice) August 14, 2024
“I was in Jhargram… I was on my way when I spoke to CP (Kolkata police chief Vineet Kumar Goyal). I also spoke to the parents of the victim and assured them the police will investigate and that I want capital punishment. I stand with what I have said since the first day…” Ms Banerjee said today.
READ | Mamata Says Will Hand Over Rape-Murder Probe To CBI If…
Countering allegations the police failed to secure crucial evidence, the Chief Minister said DNA and CCTV footage was collected and that an accused – Sanjoy Roy – was arrested within 12 hours.
“I visited their residence and took stock, minute-by-minute, of the situation all night. Police also escorted the body of the victim and throughout the investigation like DNA, CCTV footage, sample testing – everything was carried out and within 12 hours the murderer was arrested.”
READ | In Doctor Rape-Murder Case, CBI Will Investigate 6 Key Issues
Roy, now in the custody of the CBI, which was handed the case by the Calcutta High Court Tuesday after it overruled Ms Banerjee’s seven-day deadline for the police to solve this case.
The court’s decision was seen as a direct attack on Ms Banerjee’s government, and she hit out firmly, saying, “For any investigation, you need to give time. I had set a deadline till Sunday. You cannot take action against anyone without proper investigation. I respect both senior and junior doctors.”
“I cannot arrest people without proper investigation.” The Bengal government, however, “will completely follow the High Court and is cooperating with CBI”, she also said.
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