NEW DELHI: The leaders of Mamata Banerjee‘s Trinamool Congress (TMC) continued to attack the parents of RG Kar rape-murder case victim accusing them of parroting the lines of the opposition in criticising chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
After Bengal court’s life sentence verdict for convict Sanjay Roy, the deceased medic’s parents criticised CM Banerjee last week, stating she bears responsibility for the alleged evidence tampering by police and hospital authorities.
“Such a person (Mamata Banerjee) has no right to continue in office and she must step down,” the parents had stated.
Subsequently, TMC leaders have launched criticism against the parents.
Kamarhati’s TMC MLA Madan Mitra questioned if the parents were reciting CPI(M) and BJP’s scripted dialogue for political gains. He suggested they should openly discuss if they seek high compensation, while alleging substantial funds were collected during the doctors’ protest.
“The parents are changing their statements frequently. If they want high amount of compensation for the tragedy, they should speak out,” Mitra said.
“Do they (parents) want to contest elections? Even if you (parents) do, you will be defeated emphatically. Your new friends Ram-Bam (BJP and Left parties) won’t be able to pull you through,” he said.
Agriculture minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay claimed the parents made unnecessary comments unrelated to the investigation. “We know the parents have lost their daughter and our sympathy and solidarity remain with them. But they have been suddenly targetting our CM who had done everything possible to ensure speedy trial and stood by them. They certainly are voicing the narrative of the CPI(M) which only wants to malign the state and carries out personal attack against Mamata Banerjee,” said Chattopadhyay.
Senior TMC leaders including Firhad Hakim and Kunal Ghosh also criticised the parents, suggesting opposition influence. TMC MPs Sougata Roy and Kalyan Bandyopadhyay advised parents against making unhelpful statements.
TMC MLA Humayun Kabir, however, attributed the parents’ statements to their mental distress. “The parents are making such statements as they are under mental stress and agony. Hence one should not subject them to such personal attacks,” Kabir said.
BJP, CPM hit out at TMC
After series of statements against the parents, BJP and CPI(M) leaders claimed that such “indecent outburst” showed that the party has no respect for the parents of a rape-murder victim, leaving the people of the state “appalled”.
BJP’s Dilip Ghosh and CPI(M)’s Bikash Bhattacharya criticised TMC’s response as inappropriate and disrespectful.
“The unseemly and indecent outburst towards the parents of a rape-murder victim by leaders like Mitra and Ghosh shows the level TMC has stooped to. The more they open their mouth, the further they will be exposed,” Ghosh said.
BJP also took to X to accusing Mamata of “tyranny”. “Mamata Banerjee has turned West Bengal into a lawless hellhole! A young doctor is raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College, and now her grieving parents are being terrorized by TMC goons-for demanding justice! This is not governance; this is tyranny! Blood is on Mamata’s hands!” a post on X read.
Senior CPI(M) leader Bikash Bhattacharya also hit out at TMC saying the comments show that the TMC has no respect for the sentiment of the people of Bengal and women “who are appalled”.
Meanwhile, the victim’s father rejected TMC’s allegations, stating, “We have lost everything. We only wish that justice is done to our daughter before our death.” He maintained the CM failed her duties.
The 31-year-old post-graduate trainee was discovered partially clothed in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital’s seminar hall on August 9 last year. The convict was given life sentence by Bengal court.