Monday, 23 September 2024
Monday, 23 September 2024
The RG Kar rape & murder has shaken the conscience of the entire country. Politicians, judiciary, celebrities, doctors, football fans, artists- the horror has united every section of the society.
The ruling TMC is facing the brunt of the public ire. The handling of the case has prompted several questions. Reports indicate that the party is facing the heat and party leaders show a lack of unity in reacting on the issue.
Here is a look at what the party leaders have said till now.
Mamata Banerjee
The chief minister led a 1.8 km march from Moulali and the Dorina crossing on Friday, demanding that the CBI finish its investigation by Sunday to enable prompt delivery of justice. She said the guilty should be hanged by Sunday, too.
“…organise marches to demand capital punishment for the guilty and expose the unholy Bam-Ram conspiracy…. The truth should come out,” she said.
Abhishek Banerjee
Heir apparent and the party’s general secretary Abhishek Banerjee asked for capital punishment or encounter for the culprit during an administrative meeting in his constituency Diamond Harbour on Aug 10.
“These rapists, who don’t deserve to live in society, should be dealt with either through encounter or by hanging,” said an agitated Banerjee.
Later, on Aug 15, when the midnight vandalism went on at the RG Kar, he expressed his dissatisfaction on ‘X’ platform.
“The hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight have exceeded all acceptable limits. As a public representative, I just spoke with @CPKolkata , urging him to ensure that every individual responsible for today’s violence is identified, held accountable, and made to face the law within the next 24 hours, regardless of their political affiliations. The demands of the protesting doctors are fair and justified. This is the minimum they should expect from the government. Their safety and security must be prioritized.” Banerjee wrote.
Sukhendu Sekhar Roy
CBI must act fairly. Custodial interrogation of Ex Principal and Police Commissioner is a must to know who and why floated suicide story.Why wall of hall demolished, who patronised Roy to be so powerful, Why sniffer dog used after 3 days.100s of such questions. Make them speak,” wrote the senior Rajya Sabha MP on his ‘X’ platform on Aug 18.
The Kolkata Police summoned him to appear at the Lalbazar, the police headquarters the next day for his social media post.
On Aug 13, Roy expressed his solidarity with the ‘Reclaim the night’ protests and wrote on ‘X’ platform, “ Tomorrow I am going to join the protesters particularly because I’ve a daughter and little granddaughter like millions of Bengali families. We must rise to the occasion. Enough of cruelty against women. Let’s resist together. Come what may.”
Shantanu Sen
Former Rajya Sabha MP and spokesperson Shantanu Sen on Wednesday told The Telegraph Online “Classes are not held there. There are no studies. If the coterie is kept happy students are handed question papers, cheating is rampant..for the last three years, RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has been deprived because of the principal.”
Sen is the former Chairman of Rogi Kalyan Samiti (patient welfare committee) of the RG Kar Medical College & Hospital.
Mahua Moitra
Known as a feisty politician and vocal parliamentarian, Lok Sabha MP from Krishnanagar, Moitra received a lot of flak for being quite on the RG Kar issue. Social media posts lambasted her for being a part of the ‘Lapaata Ladies’.
Four days after the incident, On Aug 13, Moitra wrote on her ‘X’ platform, “The horrific crime at RG Kar has shocked us to the core. No one to be spared, investigation must be quick & transparent. Thoughts, prayers & solidarity.”
Two days later she posted, “We are in total solidarity with the outpouring of real grief and fear on the streets . But it is necessary to separate facts from false propaganda.”
Kalyan Banerjee
Lok Sabha MP from Srerampore and advocate Kalyan Banerjee was part of protest march at the Calcutta high court premises on Monday. At the protests, he indicated that Rajya Sabha MP and advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya is providing misleading facts to the media and Banerjee was involved in a scuffle with lawyers who are identified with the CPM and the BJP.
Arup Chakraborty
Lok Sabha MP from Bankura Arup Chakraborty called out the statewide protests and warned doctors of consequences, “in the name of the movement, you may go home or go about with your boyfriend. If a patient dies because of your strike and public anger falls on you, we will not save you,”
He was leading a march in Bankura and explained his statement. “Doctors are striking. In the name of a strike, if they go out and people don’t get treatment, naturally their anger will fall on them. We can’t save them.” Chakraborty said.
Udayan Guha
In a video, which has been shared widely on social media, Guha, who is a senior TMC minister from Dinhata, Coochbehar and known for being a poster boy of controversy ignited widespread criticism when he could be heard telling a crowd, “People who are attacking Mamata Banerjee, pointing fingers at her, and demanding her resignation will never succeed. Those pointing fingers at the CM will be broken and crushed…We will never allow West Bengal to turn into another Bangladesh.”
During the ‘Reclaim the night’ protests, Guha had said, “Full support to those who want the #ReclaimTheNight but don’t call me in the night to protect you from your husband’s torture.”
Kunal Ghosh
Party spokesperson Ghosh posted on ‘X’, "If you think you will protest, do it a hundred times in proper language. Do it a thousand times…But giving wrong information, distorted assumptions, fake audio, purposeful inciting posts, names and photos of the deceased, the police will warn you,” referring to the police summons to two prominent doctors and party MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy.
