Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday came out in defence of Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee amid the uproar over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
"Mamata Banerjee herself is a woman and understands the pain of a woman. She has taken action as per demand. The government has also decided to get the matter investigated by the CBI or any other institution," said Akhilesh, a key member of the INDIA, which also includes the Trinamool Congress headed by Mamata.
The former UP chief minister, who shares a special relationship with Mamata, echoed the Bengal chief minister and accused the BJP of trying to use the grisly incident for political gains.
"These people of the BJP are doing politics.... The BJP has a talent for doing politics in every incident. BJP has the talent of taking political benefit over every incident and dishonouring others," he said, referring to the BJP's demand for the resignation of Mamata.
The comment from Akhilesh came as a relief for the Trinamool dispensation in Bengal, which was upset with the reaction of the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who had said three days ago that the alleged attempt to save the accused, instead of providing justice to the victim, raised serious questions on the hospital and the local administration.
"The entire country is shocked by the gruesome incident of rape and murder of the junior doctor... There is an atmosphere of insecurity among the doctors' community and women with the revelations about the manner of the cruel and inhuman act against her," he had said in a post in X in Hindi.
Although Rahul did not name the TMC government, his comments had drawn a sharp reaction from the ruling party in Bengal.
“Before making such remarks, he (Rahul) should check and cross-check facts. He must not forget the dismal track record on women’s safety of the Rajiv Gandhi (former Prime Minister) regime and the (earlier) Congress governments at the Centre,” Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson, had said.
