Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday abstained from meeting the parents of the doctor who was raped and murdered at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Calcutta, much to the embarrassment of his party leaders in the state.

Shah, who was in Calcutta on Sunday, didn't meet the parents who had emailed him, requesting a meeting.

The rape-murder is being probed by the CBI now, an investigation agency under Shah's ministry.

The Union minister, who attended a function hosted by the BJP as a part of their membership drive, however, criticised the Trinamool government of the state while referring to the incident.

“In Bengal, the highhandedness of syndicates is well known. Here, the safety and security of women are at stake and incidents have happened in Sandeshkhali and RG Kar. We will have to stop such activities. Thus, we need the BJP in power here,” said Shah.

However, his not meeting the parents of the doctor provoked scathing criticism.

“The Union home minister spent only one line on the RG Kar incident. He tried to undermine the movement, didn't stand for justice and refrained from meeting the victim's parents. The BJP is simply trying to make it an election issue. We condemn it,” said CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty.

Trinamool also accused Shah of playing politics.

“We want to know why he didn't meet the parents. They simply come to Bengal to deliver political speeches and do not deliver their responsibilities. It seems he is well aware that the investigation by the Kolkata Police was on the right track and thus, he doesn't have much to say,” TMC leader Kunal Ghosh posted in X.

The doctors' fraternity expressed disappointment. Manas Gumta, the secretary of the Association of Health Service Doctors, said they "expected" Shah to meet the parents and "assure them of justice". Some junior doctors said they expected central ministers to be more “sensitive".

“The home minister has certain protocols. His visits are decided by the ministry. The party has nothing to do with it,” said Shankar Ghosh, the BJP chief whip in the Assembly, adding the BJP stands for justice in the RG Kar case.