KOLKATA: Political noise over the RG Kar rape-murder filled the streets of Kolkata Friday as Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee led a silent march and blamed the opposition for the vandalism at the hospital two nights ago, while corresponding rallies by BJP and the Left demanding justice to the victim were marked by jibes and some jousting with police.
Members of SUCI, which had called a 12-hour general strike, were involved in a scuffle with cops at south Kolkata’s Hazra crossing while trying to block traffic.
BJP’s protest included a two-hour ceasework in all establishments. Police dismantled a stage BJP workers had put up near the Shyambazar five-point crossing – a short walk from RG Kar Medical College – earlier in the day, triggering a heated exchange. State BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar held a sit-in on the road and was joined by general secretaries Agnimitra Paul and Jagannath Chattopadhyay. Several BJP workers and functionaries, including Majumdar, were detained.
Former Union minister Smriti Irani, who was in Kolkata, accused CM Mamata of passing the buck by blaming BJP of causing a ruckus. “How is this possible? Please stop this politics of ‘tera rape, mera rape’. How is it possible that a mob can vandalise a hospital in full public view and destroy items that may be evidence?” she said.
Mamata said she backed Kolkata’s spontaneous ‘Reclaim the Night’ protests hours before the vandalism at RG Kar. “I salute the protests led by our mothers and sisters,” she said after her silent march to demand capital punishment to the culprit.
She said BJP and the Left triggered the vandalism. “You went there to destroy evidence but vandalised the wrong floor. Your men have destroyed two floors and expensive machinery. Hospital infrastructure worth anything between Rs 50 crore and Rs 100 crore has been destroyed,” she said. The CM said the opposition had joined the protests “not because they feel for the girl and her family but because they envy Lakshmir Bhandar and other welfare projects initiated by us”.
“I saw it on the videos. There were CPM goons with DYFI flags and BJP goons with national flags,” Mamata said. She accused CPM and BJP of doctoring videos and sharing them on “sponsored” social media channels.
“I want to tell Ram-Bam (Left)-Shyam – the alliance between BJP, CPM and Congress in Bengal – you can abuse me but do not try to malign Bengal,” she said, asking them not to test her patience.
The CM appealed to BJP to let CBI “work impartially”.
She also appealed to the agitating doctors to resume work. “Poor people who cannot afford private healthcare are suffering because of you… Please understand how patients are suffering because of your non-cooperation.”
Members of SUCI, which had called a 12-hour general strike, were involved in a scuffle with cops at south Kolkata’s Hazra crossing while trying to block traffic.
BJP’s protest included a two-hour ceasework in all establishments. Police dismantled a stage BJP workers had put up near the Shyambazar five-point crossing – a short walk from RG Kar Medical College – earlier in the day, triggering a heated exchange. State BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar held a sit-in on the road and was joined by general secretaries Agnimitra Paul and Jagannath Chattopadhyay. Several BJP workers and functionaries, including Majumdar, were detained.
Former Union minister Smriti Irani, who was in Kolkata, accused CM Mamata of passing the buck by blaming BJP of causing a ruckus. “How is this possible? Please stop this politics of ‘tera rape, mera rape’. How is it possible that a mob can vandalise a hospital in full public view and destroy items that may be evidence?” she said.
Mamata said she backed Kolkata’s spontaneous ‘Reclaim the Night’ protests hours before the vandalism at RG Kar. “I salute the protests led by our mothers and sisters,” she said after her silent march to demand capital punishment to the culprit.
She said BJP and the Left triggered the vandalism. “You went there to destroy evidence but vandalised the wrong floor. Your men have destroyed two floors and expensive machinery. Hospital infrastructure worth anything between Rs 50 crore and Rs 100 crore has been destroyed,” she said. The CM said the opposition had joined the protests “not because they feel for the girl and her family but because they envy Lakshmir Bhandar and other welfare projects initiated by us”.
“I saw it on the videos. There were CPM goons with DYFI flags and BJP goons with national flags,” Mamata said. She accused CPM and BJP of doctoring videos and sharing them on “sponsored” social media channels.
“I want to tell Ram-Bam (Left)-Shyam – the alliance between BJP, CPM and Congress in Bengal – you can abuse me but do not try to malign Bengal,” she said, asking them not to test her patience.
The CM appealed to BJP to let CBI “work impartially”.
She also appealed to the agitating doctors to resume work. “Poor people who cannot afford private healthcare are suffering because of you… Please understand how patients are suffering because of your non-cooperation.”
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