Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is set to lead a protest rally at 4 pm today, demanding justice for the junior doctor who was brutally raped and murdered inside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital seminar hall on August 9. The rally comes amid growing public outrage and just a day after Banerjee accused the BJP and CPI(M) of attempting to politicize the case.
The rally also follows the Calcutta High Court’s decision on August 13 to transfer the investigation from the Kolkata Police to the CBI. Earlier, Banerjee had set Sunday as the deadline for the CBI to secure the death penalty for the accused, who has already been arrested. The move is seen as a response to accusations from protesters that the police mishandled the investigation and allegations that the Trinamool Congress attempted to destroy evidence.
Banerjee’s decision to lead the protest has surprised many, given her dual role as the head of the state administration and the police. Trinamool Congress MP and spokesperson Derek O’Brien defended the Chief Minister’s actions, emphasizing the gravity of the crime. “It is hard to conceive of a more bestial, heinous crime than the rape and murder of a young woman in Kolkata. The public outrage is entirely understandable. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family,” he said.
O’Brien also addressed the decision to transfer the case to the CBI, stressing that the agency must provide daily updates on the investigation. “The deadline given by the CM to the Kolkata Police to complete the investigation was August 17. The same should apply to the CBI. Swift justice and the harshest punishment for the culprits are needed. No one who committed this barbaric act must be spared,” he added.
In solidarity with the protests, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has announced a 24-hour nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency services starting from 6 am on Saturday, August 17.