Kolkata Doctor Death Case: The political storm over the case of a junior doctor's rape and murder is gaining strength from every angle with each passing day. The latest in this came on Thursday after a midnight protest turned violent. During the violence, the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was vandalised and the police stationed there were attacked, allegedly by "outsiders". The Opposition in the state, the BJP, has targeted the Trinamool Congress, saying that the violence was orchestrated by the ruling party's goons.
Blaming Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee for the violence at RG Kar MCH, leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari said: "Mamata Banerjee has sent her TMC goons to the apolitical Protest Rally near RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. She thinks that she is the most shrewd person in the whole world and people won't be able to figure out the cunning plan that her goons appearing as protestors would mix with the crowd and carry out vandalism inside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital."
Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the perpetrators of violence were given a safe passage by the police personnel stationed there. "They were given safe passage by the Police, who either ran away or looked the other way so that these lumpens would enter the hospital premises and destroy areas containing crucial evidence so that it doesn't get picked up by the CBI," the BJP MLA said.
Citing the violence, the BJP called for the resignation of CM Mamata Banerjee. "A police force that can’t protect its citizens or a crime scene is a disgrace. The Police Minister and CM must step down immediately. Their incompetence is endangering lives," the party said in an X post.
CM Mamata Banerjee, on the other hand, has blamed the Opposition parties, the BJP and the CPI(M), of indulging in "vulture politics". "Instead of praying for the departed soul, offering support to the victim's family in their hour of need or taking a collective stand against social malice, the Opposition Parties have been indulging in vulture politics on social media. Those who politicise such tragedies have no moral compass," she said on Wednesday.
TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee said action must be taken on those responsible for the violence, irrespective of their political affiliation. "The hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight have exceeded all acceptable limits," he said.
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev said that the violence at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday night was perpetrated by the BJP and the CPI(M). "These are not the common people demanding justice for the victim. This is the extreme right & left in Bengal (decimated in elections) now resorting to violence & propaganda for their own political survival. Opposition leaders beware - inadvertently don’t be a part of this mayhem. Condemn violence [sic]," she posted on X.
Reacting to the allegation of the Kolkata Police giving a free hand to the perpetrators, Sushmita Dev said that the cops "acted on evidence, not rumours".
After the vandalism, a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Hasan Mushtaq, said, "We were to leave at 11 PM for a protest march (from the protesting site). But, there was a group of people outside the campus, they were raising slogans like 'We want justice'. But they weren't moving. Suddenly, the mob barged into the campus and started the vandalism. We asked our women team members. However, as they tried leave the campus, the mob broke past the barricade."
So far, nine people have been arrested in the RG Kar vandalism incident. The police said that 15 cops were injured in the incident.