Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: Victim's family slams Mamata's pujo call
The family of the 31-year-old doctor, who was raped and murdered in Kolkata, has slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her remarks asking people to "return to (Durga) Pujo." The Trinamool Congress chief made these comments on Monday while addressing the media. "It has been a month (since the August 9 incident). I request you return to Pujo, return to the festivities, and ask the Central Bureau of Investigation to ensure justice as soon as possible," she said.
Victim's family responds to Banerjee's remarks
The victim's parents responded sharply to Banerjee's comments, questioning how they could celebrate festivities after losing their daughter. "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?" they asked. They added that they celebrated Durga Puja with their daughter and will not celebrate it or any other festival for years to come, calling Banerjee's remarks "insensitive."
Opposition parties criticize Banerjee's comments
Banerjee's remarks also drew criticism from opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in Bengal Assembly, questioned if Banerjee considered people puppets who would follow her directives unquestioningly. Senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty suggested that Banerjee's only hope is for mass protests to fizzle out and people to shift into a celebratory mood, overlooking safety and security concerns.
Protests continue in Kolkata
Meanwhile, protests against the brutal rape and murder of the doctor continued in Kolkata on Tuesday. The protesters, including students and doctors from various medical colleges, are demanding capital punishment for the accused and a CBI probe into the incident. On August 9, the victim was found dead inside her hostel room at RG Kar Medical College in a semi naked state.
One month since Kolkata rape-murder
Notably, Monday marked one month since the incident at RG Kar hospital. The victim's mother had previously criticized the Kolkata police for their lack of support—alleging they attempted to cover up the crime and tampered with evidence. On Monday, the Supreme Court noted a delay of "at least 14 hours" in filing the FIR for the junior doctor's rape-murder case. It also highlighted the missing post-mortem challan and instructed the Bengal government to present it at the next hearing.
