Left leaders Md Salim and Minakshi Mukherjee on Thursday slammed the Trinamul government for the present state of affairs in the government health sector and accused the ruling dispensation of trying to shield people involved in corruption and alleged tampering of evidence after the brutal rape and murder of the doctor at RG Kar.

“The entire health system is in shambles. Over the past 10 years, the state government has not done anything to improve government healthcare, and instead, encouraged mushrooming of syndicates in medical colleges and hospitals...,” CPM state secretary Salim told newspersons on the sidelines of a memorial hosted by the party for departed CPM leaders Sitaram Yechury and Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at Dinabandhu Mancha.

Salim trained guns at the government for turning a “blind eye” to corruption in the state health sector. “What were officers doing so far? It is hard to believe that the principal secretary, the DME, and the DHS had no inkling of corruption. The chief minister cannot deny responsibility. Now, they are pretending that after the RG Kar incident, they have come to know of it."

Minakshi, the state secretary of DYFI, the CPM’s youth front, was called by the CBI for questioning at the CGO complex in Calcutta.

“They needed my help in the probe into the RG Kar murder. I spoke to them. I am always ready to cooperate as we want justice for the victim and her family and punishment for all those involved in crime and corruption,” she said outside the CBI office.

Mukherjee, who stopped the hearse carrying the victim’s body, said they would intensify their movement if an attempt was made to exert pressure on protesting junior doctors.

“She was instrumental in stopping the police from hushing up the case,” Salim said.