'Have Patience': CM Mamata Banerjee On Demands For Removal Of Kolkata Top Cop Vineet Goyal

RG Kar Case: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee revealed that Kolkata Police Commissioner offered to resign multiple times but she turned his offer down. She also denied offering money to the victim's family.

File Photo of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

Source : PTI

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee revealed on Monday that Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal had attempted to resign several times following the public outcry over the alleged rape and murder at R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital. However, she refused to accept his resignation, citing the upcoming Durga Puja festival and the need for stability in law and order management.

Speaking after an administrative meeting with top police officials and state bureaucrats, CM Mamata said, "The Commissioner came to me a number of times to resign. He even came to me for the purpose just a week back. But the Durga Puja festival is ahead. The person who will be in charge should be aware of the prevailing situation relating to law and order. What is the harm in having patience for some more days? The protesters are claiming replacement of all. I may replace five but may not replace another five", as quoted by news agency IANS.

The Kolkata Police Commissioner has been heavily criticised by representatives of the state’s medical fraternity and civil society for alleged lapses in the initial investigation of the case before the Calcutta High Court handed it over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

RG Kar Case: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Denies Offering Money To Victim's Parents, Calls It 'Slander'

CM Mamata also denied the accusations of offering money to the deceased Kolkata doctor's family, labelling such claims as "slander". "I have never offered money to the deceased doctor's family. I have told the parents that if they wanted to do something in their daughter's memory, our government is with them. I know when to speak what," she said, urging the junior doctors to resume duty as soon as possible.

This dismissal comes as the father of the RG Kar rape victim alleged that a senior police officer offered him money privately when his daughter's body was brought home after the post-mortem, before the final rites. The police commissioner has faced severe criticism from the state’s medical fraternity and civil society, with demands for his resignation over alleged mishandling of the initial investigation by Kolkata Police before the case was transferred to the CBI by the Calcutta High Court.

In addition, CM Mamata also dismissed allegations from the Union Home Ministry accusing the state government of failing to provide adequate infrastructure support to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel stationed at R.G Kar Medical College following a directive from the Supreme Court. "I arranged a primary school run by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and a 30-bed hospital for them. Next, they demanded community halls. If I fulfil that demand, what will happen to those people for whom the community halls have been constructed?" she questioned, urging the Union government to share responsibility instead of blaming the state.

The Bengal Chief Minister also accused the Union government and some Left parties of conspiring to fuel public unrest over the incident. "This [protest following RG Kar incident] is definitely a conspiracy by the Centre, and some Left parties are also involved in it. Some people are taking advantage of the turmoil in the neighbouring country. They have forgotten that India and Bangladesh are separate nations," she remarked during the meeting at Nabanna, the state secretariat, as per news agency PTI.

The incident, which occurred on August 9, involved the discovery of the body of a postgraduate trainee doctor at R.G Kar Medical College and Hospital. The doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty, triggering widespread protests across the nation.