Bengal Chief Minister on Wednesday criticised the Calcutta High Court's decision to not restrain the BJP over calling the 'Bangla Bandh' call. Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar announced a 12-hour bandh on Wednesday to protest alleged police excesses during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest over the RG Kar Medical College doctor's rape and murder.
A PIL was filed by one Sanjoy Das, seeking a restraining order "to ensure that illegal bandhs organised by political parties do not disrupt the lives of ordinary citizens". However, the plea was turned down by a bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice H Bhattacharyya as Das had earlier been ordered in a different case to refrain from filing any PIL.
Mamata Banerjee said: "I can't criticise any judge, I have the right to speak on a judgment. A court in Maharashtra said bandh is illegal. Kerala High Court banned bandhs. There are many such instances. Shouldn't you [Calcutta HC] have taken note of the PIL? People should get justice in courts."
'BJP Wants Corpses On Streets': Mamata On Bangla Bandh
She said that the BJP wants corpses in Bengal and that is why it called for the 'Bangla Bandh'. She alleged that the BJP was trying to protect the accused and had conjured a plot to defame West Bengal.
"Even today [Wednesday], when students were coming [to Kolkata] from faraway places, BJP goons vandalised the buses... They attacked the police as well. Railway services were deliberately disrupted," she said. Slamming the BJP further from Kolkata's Mayo Road during a Chhatra Parishad Foundation Day, she said: "I have never seen such a scheming party... We don't believe in bandh politics. If you want a bandh, first seek Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resignation. He has only targeted people using central agencies."
Mamata Banerjee Cites Sexual Abuse Cases In BJP-Ruled States
Reacting to the demands of her resignation over the RG Kar doctor's rape and murder, Mamata said that there were no resignations when women and girls were sexually abused in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, and Madhya Pradesh. "The PM is yet to visit the families of the victims of Manipur violence," she said, adding, "Our police personnel showed extreme restraint. The BJP sought to fill the streets with corpses yesterday [during the Nabanna Abhijan]. They cracked open police personnel's skulls, fractured limbs, and robbed some of their vision and hearing."
"I salute the police for shedding their own blood but not giving in to the BJP's conspiracy of filling the streets with corpses," she said.
Mamata Banerjee dedicated this year's Chhatra Parishad Foundation Day to the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder victim, and the victims of sexual abuse over the past few weeks in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Odisha, Assam, and Manipur. Apart from Bengal, all these states are ruled by the BJP.
No Action To Be Taken Against Protesting Doctors: Mamata Banerjee
She further accused the BJP of using AI to cause unrest in Bengal. "The BJP is indulging in large-scale cybercrimes using AI to manufacture falsehoods, causing social unrest," Mamata Banerjee said. She said that 16 days have passed since the CBI took over the doctor's rape-murder probe, but justice was yet to be served.
"We shall pass an amendment in state laws in assembly next week and bring in mandatory capital punishment for rapists. The Bill will be sent to the Governor for his approval. If he doesn't clear it, our women shall stage a sit-in protest at the Raj Bhavan till he approves," Mamata said.
Mamata Banerjee urged agitating junior doctors to join work. "We shall not take any action against them."