Abhishek Banerjee on Monday night issued an appeal to the Trinamool Congress ecosystem, urging everyone against speaking ill of anybody from the medical fraternity or the civil society while endorsing their right to protest and freedom of expression.

“Public representatives across party lines need to be more HUMBLE and SYMPATHETIC. I urge everyone in @AITCofficial not to speak ill of anyone from the MEDICAL FRATERNITY OR CIVIL SOCIETY,” the TMC national general secretary wrote on X at 10.04pm.

“Everyone has the right to protest and express themselves — This is what sets West Bengal apart from other BJP-ruled states,” he added.

Protests have been sweeping Bengal since August 9 when a junior doctor was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The appeal came after four days of unbridled negativity and biting sarcasm — even threats — from several mid to senior leaders of Trinamool (including at least seven MPs and MLAs in public) towards the protesters.

Sources close to the Diamond Harbour MP said he was “mighty displeased” with the public conduct of such leaders over the past few days, with unmasked animosity even towards non-partisan protesters for being critical of chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

“We have wholeheartedly fought against the BULLDOZER MODEL AND OPPRESSION TACTICS of politics. Now is the time for constructive actions to ensure such horrific incidents are not repeated,” wrote Mamata’s nephew.

“Bengal must stand united in this fight and not stop until the perpetrators are punished and an ANTI-RAPE Time Bound law is enacted by both the states and Union government,” he added.