The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday intensified its attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of shielding those involved in the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata. The BJP termed Banerjee a “dictator” and demanded her immediate resignation to ensure an impartial investigation into the case. The party has also called for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a polygraph test on both Banerjee and Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goel, who had initially suggested that the victim died by suicide.
During a press conference at the BJP headquarters, national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia expressed deep concern over the situation in West Bengal, stating, “Whatever is happening in West Bengal is worrisome. It’s akin to tearing the Constitution to shreds. It’s clearly visible that if at all there is a dictator in the country, it’s Mamata Banerjee.”
Bhatia insisted that Banerjee must resign to facilitate a fair investigation into the case and demanded that Police Commissioner Goel, who earlier dismissed the case as a suicide, also step down and be subjected to investigation.
“Truth must come out. The CBI is investigating the case. It should conduct a polygraph test on Mamata Banerjee and the police commissioner to ascertain the truth,” Gaurav Bhatia demanded.
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The controversy has further escalated following a lathi charge by West Bengal Police on students rallying in Kolkata to demand justice for the victim and Banerjee's resignation. The BJP condemned this police action, highlighting the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, also criticised the state administration for its alleged brutal repression of the peaceful 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally participants. He warned of a statewide shutdown if such actions by the police continue. “Police are using water cannons on peaceful protestors at Santragachi, bursting tear gas shells on the students at Howrah Bridge, lathicharging them at College Street. Please stop these brutalities immediately,” Adhikari stated, as quoted by news agency PTI.
Adhikari, who refrained from joining the student-led Chhatra Samaj movement as per their request for an apolitical protest, emphasised that over 8,000 policemen had been deployed to suppress the peaceful demonstrations. He added, “If the police repression is not stopped immediately, we (BJP) will stall West Bengal tomorrow. An alarming situation has been created by this administration.”
Union Minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar told news agency ANI, "The police and Mamata Banerjee have unleashed violence on the student agitation. They have lathi-charged, used tear gas as well as water cannons on the democratic peaceful protest. So opposing this we have called for a 12-hour bandh in Bengal tomorrow. Our demand is simple that the students who have been arrested by the police should be released..."
The organiser of the Chhatra Samaj march clarified that no BJP or other political leaders would be at the forefront of their protest, which demands the ouster of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her alleged failure to ensure the safety of women.