The father of the doctor who was raped and murdered in Kolkata’s state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has said he has lost trust in West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee after the way the police handled the case that has now sparked massive outrage across India.
“Early on I had full faith in her (Mamata Banerjee), but now no. She is asking for justice but what is she saying that for? She can take charge of that, she is doing nothing,” he told Indian news channel NDTV.
“They are saying ‘We want justice’. But those of the general public who are saying the same thing, they are trying to lock them up,” he said referring to the alleged lathi-charge incident on supporters of two Kolkata-based football giants Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, who demonstrated against the rape and murder incident close to Salt Lake Stadium following the cancellation of the derby match.
The victim’s mother advised people across the state to be careful before availing of welfare schemes introduced by the Banerjee-led government since coming to power in 2011.
“All the schemes by Mamata Banerjee – the Kanyashree scheme- the Lakshmi scheme — all pseudo. Whoever wants to avail these schemes, before availing them kindly see if your Lakshmi at home safe,” she told the news channel.
Kolkata witnesses series of protests demanding justice for the victim
Tens and thousands of people ignored heavy rains and inclement weather to walk on the streets of Kolkata and in several corners of West Bengal on Sunday night demanding justice for the female doctor.
In Kolkata, protests were held in Behala, Lake Town, Salt Lake and other corners of the state capital where demonstrators were seen holding placards, shouting slogans and holding candle marches to demand justice for the doctor whose case is currently being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
One of the protesters in Behala told media: “We only want justice for the victim. We have assembled from all corners of Behala today to fight for the victim.”
Similar protests swept several corners of West Bengal, other Indian cities and even crossed borders and reached Canada on August 14, a day before India celebrated Independence Day, when slogans demanding justice and ensuring women’s safety clamoured the night sky.
East Bengal-Mohun Bagan supporters unite to protest RG Kar horror
In an unimaginable show of unity between two arch-rivals of Kolkata derby, fans of both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan football clubs on Sunday assembled in thousands outside Kolkata’s iconic Salt Lake stadium despite the cancellation of the Durand Cup match and raised slogans for justice for the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder victim.
Police allegedly lathi-charged to disperse the supporters who were demonstrating for the heinous crime. A suspected cover-up attempt triggered a massive protest against the Mamata Banerjee government.
A woman protester told a local media channel: “The protest cannot be stopped by merely lathicharing us.”
The protesters were seen holding Mohun Bagan or East Bengal flags during their demonstration on Kolkata’s EM Bypass area.
SC takes suo moto cognizance of case
Taking suo moto cognizance of the case, the Supreme Court on Sunday announced it would take up the matter on August 20.
The incident has triggered a massive protest across India with people demanding justice for the victim.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, Justice J B Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra have decided to hear the case.
The former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Dr Sandip Ghosh, was quizzed on Saturday by CBI officials for the second consecutive day and has been summoned for questioning on Sunday too.
The questioning, which lasted for several hours, focused on his actions and responses on the night of the incident.
The CBI is corroborating Dr Ghosh’s account with testimonies from other medical staff and police officers who were on duty that night. He resigned two days after the discovery of the doctor’s body on August 9.
The CBI is investigating around 40 individuals, including doctors, interns, and police officers. The agency has already questioned over 20 people, and forensic teams have been deployed to collect and analyse evidence from multiple locations, including the RG Kar hospital and the residence of the prime accused, Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer of Kolkata Police.
