Mamata Banerjee Denies Threatening Doctors Protesting Kolkata Rape-Murder

A day after the BJP accused her of threatening doctors protesting against a medico’s rape and murder of a Kolkata hospital, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed a “malicious disinformation campaign” unleased against her.

“Let me most emphatically clarify that I have not uttered a single word against the (medical etc.) students or their movements. I totally support their movement. Their movement is genuine. I never threatened them, as some people are accusing me of doing. This allegation is completely false,” she said in a post on X.

I detect a malicious disinformation campaign in some print, electronic and digital media which has been unleashed with reference to a speech that I made in our students’ programme yesterday.

Let me most emphatically clarify that I have not uttered a single word against the…

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 29, 2024

“I have spoken against BJP. I have spoken against them because, with the support of the Government of India, they are threatening the democracy in our State and trying to create anarchy. With support from Centre, they are trying to create lawlessness and I have raised my voice against them,” she added.

Addressing the foundation day event of Trinamool Congress’s students’ wing, the Trinamool leader had urged doctors protesting against the August 9 incident at RG Kar Medical College. While doctors in most parts of the country have returned to work after the Supreme Court set up a National Task Force to recommend steps to ensure doctors’ safety on duty, those in Kolkata are still protesting in demand of justice for the victim.

Addressing them, the Chief Minister yesterday said, “We did not act against you after you protested because I understand you are upset. But please join work gradually. Supreme Court has said that the state government can now take action. I don’t want to take action because I want them to study properly. If get an FIR registered, their future will be destroyed, they won’t get a chance anywhere, they won’t get passports and visas. If I take legal action, their lives will be destroyed. I don’t want that, our government has a human outlook, we want to create more doctors with this human outlook.”

READ: “Where Is Justice”: Mamata Banerjee’s Question To CBI In Doctor Rape-Murder

She also questioned why the CBI was yet to make a breakthrough in the case even after 16 days of taking over the investigation from Kolkata Police following a court order. 

Last evening, BJP’s Sudhanshu Trivedi told the media that the Chief Minister had threatened doctors with word play.

“After misleading the probe, destroying evidence and shielding accused, a new strategy to threaten doctors has emerged. Heed the Chief Minister’s words. She says she doesn’t want to register FIRs (against doctors) so that careers are not destroyed. Mamata Banerjee has threatened doctors with word play,” he said.

READ: Mamata Banerjee Threatening Protesting Doctors With Word Play, Alleges BJP

The protesting doctors responded that their movement won’t stop. Authorities at the RG Kar Medical College informed that all their services are functioning.

The Chief Minister also clarified the use of the phrase “phonsh kora”, which prompted state BJP chief and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar to shoot off a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah.

Addressing the party event yesterday, she invoked an anecdote by mystic and social reformer Ramakrishna Paramhansa. “Once, a snake went to Ramakrishna Paramhansa and said, ‘You have asked me not to bite, but when I don’t, people they hit me with stones.’ Ramakrishna replied, ‘I have asked you not to bite, but I have stopped you from hissing and scaring them’.”

“Your work in the coming days is to unmask conspirators and scare them,” she added.

Referring to the remarks, Mr Majumdar wrote that the Chief Minister had “shamelessly incited the gathering”. “This is nothing less than a blatant endorsement of revenge politics from the highest office in the state,” he said.

In her note today, Ms Banerjee said, “I also clarify that the phrase (‘phonsh kara’) that I had used in my speech yesterday is a quote from Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. The legendary saint had said that occasionally there is need to raise one’s voice. When there are crimes and criminal offences, voice of protest has to be raised. My speech on that point was a direct allusion to the great Ramakrishnite saying.”