Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday claimed that there were "attempts to cover up" the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the state-run RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata. Following this, Trinamol Congress leader Kunal Ghosh opposed his statements and claimed that this was not the voice of the RSS chief but the "clear voice of a genuine BJP leader" and that the party might be looking for a "proper president".
Ghosh also questioned Bhagwat's silence on incidents in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, saying that the police in these states is "controlled by BJP". "Strongly oppose the statement made by Mohan Bhagwat. Regarding RG Kar, within 24 hours the accused was arrested by Kolkata police and the CBI charge sheet was properly reflected positively. He didn't make any comment about Uttarakhand, Manipur, Nagpur, UP...where BJP is controlling the police and this kind of crime against women happens often..This is not the voice of the RSS chief, this is a clear voice of a genuine BJP leader. Maybe they are in search of a proper president," the TMC leader said.
Addressing RSS workers at the annual Vijayadashmi Utsav in Nagpur, Mohan Bhagwat said: "Such incidents are the result of a larger cultural decay and corruption in society" as he condemned the RG Kar rape-murder case. He said: "What happened in Kolkata in the R G Kar Hospital was a shameful incident, which is an insult to all of us".
He also cited the Mahabharata and Ramayana and said, "When Droupadi’s clothes were touched, Mahabharata happened, and when Sita was abducted, Ramayana happened".
Targeting the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal, he alleged that there was an attempt to cover up the Kolkata rape and murder. "There was an attempt to cover up the incident and protect the criminals," he said during the event, adding "The nexus of crime, politics and poisonous culture is ruining us."