RG Kar: Mamata cries conspiracy by Centre, Left; urges people to return to festivities

Kolkata/New Delhi, Sep 9 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the Centre and Left parties of conspiring against her amid ongoing protests over the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Hospital, urging the public to focus on the upcoming Durga Puja festivities.

She, however, faced flak for the remark made on a day that marked completion of a month of the horrific crime, with the victim’s family criticizing it as "insensitive”.

Speaking at an administrative review meeting at the state secretariat ‘Nabanna’, Banerjee denied accusations that she offered monetary compensation to the deceased doctor's family, calling such claims "slanderous lies" and part of a broader conspiracy.

The BJP in Delhi pressed for Banerjee's resignation as the CM, saying her "dirty face" was exposed in the Supreme Court during a hearing on the case.

Amid calls for the expulsion of city Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal for “mishandling” the case, Banerjee, who heads the home department, revealed that the top officer had offered to resign multiple times in the past week but was persuaded to continue because of the Durga Puja festival.

Emphasizing the need for calm and the resumption of normal life amid protests that have rocked the state for the past one month, Banerjee said, "If you stay on the roads every night, it affects the elderly people's sleep due to noise pollution. We haven't acted on state pollution control board norms.” The state witnessed three editions of ‘Reclaim the night’ campaign in which women took out rallies at midnight.

“I request you to return to festivities and let the CBI complete the investigation at the earliest," Banerjee said.

Her remarks drew a sharp reaction from the victim's family which questioned: "What about our festivities when we have lost our daughter? Let her return our daughter. Would she have said the same had this happened in her family?" "We used to celebrate Durga Puja with our daughter, but we will never celebrate Durga Puja or any other festival for years to come. Her remarks are insensitive.” Banerjee denied allegations that she had offered money to the family of the victims.

"I never said anything about offering money. This is a conspiracy by the Centre and some Left parties. I challenge anyone to show proof of such claims. It's an attempt to malign our government," she said.

The doctor’s body was found in the seminar room of the state-run hospital on August 9. Three days later, the chief minister visited her home and met her parents.

"I told the parents that if they wanted to honour their daughter's memory, our government would stand by them. I know what to say in such situations. Even after I left, you (reporters) asked the parents about this. We have records of what I had said," Banerjee said.

However, a family member told reporters: “She (the CM) is lying.” Banerjee reiterated her support for the victim's family and addressed the protestors' demands, stating that several of their requests had already been met, including the removal of certain officials of RG Kar hospital.

"Before I went to the deceased doctor's home, the Residential Doctors' Forum had made a statement demanding adequate compensation for the family. The Supreme Court also has a directive about helping the families of such victims," she said.

The TMC supremo also appealed to junior doctors to resume their duties and directed State Health Secretary NS Nigam to adhere to the Supreme Court's directive on the issue.

The apex court directed the protesting resident doctors in West Bengal to resume work by 5 pm on Tuesday and said no adverse action shall be taken against them on resumption of work.

"The Supreme Court has requested you to join duty, and I repeat that request. If you have anything to say, you are always welcome. You can form a team of 5 to 10 members and meet me," Banerjee said, offering direct talks with the protesting doctors to address their grievances.

In an apparent reference to the agitating doctors’ demand for removal of the police commissioner, she said that Vineet Goyal had offered to resign multiple times in the past week.

"We need someone who understands law and order and sees us through the Durga puja festivities. What's the harm in being a little patient given that the Pujas are round the corner?" she asked.

The chief minister also highlighted the Kolkata Police's swift response, noting that they arrested the suspect within 12 hours of the crime and that the police commissioner personally met the victim's family to provide them with updates on the investigation.

The TMC supremo's remarks drew a sharp reaction from the opposition BJP and the Left.

"The Supreme Court has made scathing remarks, unveiling the dirty face of Mamata Banerjee... The CJI asked why postmortem challan was missing from the records," BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia told a press conference in Delhi.

Senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty also criticised Banerjee, saying: "Her only hope is that the mass protests will fizzle out and people will shift to a celebratory mood, overlooking their safety and security concerns." The protests, which started on August 9 and saw widespread participation from political groups and civil society, continued in the metropolis on Monday.

Left parties, the BJP and civil society organizations held separate demonstrations demanding justice for the deceased doctor and removal of the police commissioner. PTI SCH SMY PK SUS BDC PNT NN