Mamata Banerjee's remarks targeting the BJP over Bengal bandh today drew a sharp response
Hitting back at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the BJP today accused the Trinamool Congress leader of threatening doctors protesting against the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
"After misleading the probe, destroying evidence and shielding accused, a new strategy to threaten doctors has emerged. Heed the Chief Minister's words. She says she doesn't want to register FIRs (against doctors) so that careers are not destroyed. Mamata Banerjee has threatened doctors with word play," BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi told the media.
The BJP leader also referred to state Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's statement that "there is no democracy in Bengal". "I can say this is clear now."
"Are you the same Mamata ji who led such a movement against rape? When she was with us during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee era, she had said that during the Communist rule in Bengal, police had beaten her up badly and stopped because they though she had died. I want to ask her, has your empathy died? Are you the same Mamata ji?" Mr Trivedi said, accusing the state government of trying to shield the guilty.
Widening the attack and targeting the INDIA Opposition bloc, Mr Trivedi said, "Who is Trinamool's lawyer? Kapil Sibal. He is Rajya Sabha MP with Samajwadi Party's support and former Congress minister. Everyone in INDI alliance is involved in this cover-up."
Countering the Trinamool Congress's charge that the BJP's protests in Kolkata are aimed at creating unrest, he said, "At one point, several states witnessed poll violence. Now, poll violence has stopped in every state, except West Bengal."
READ: "Where Is Justice": Mamata Banerjee's Question To CBI In Doctor Rape-Murder
Earlier today, Ms Banerjee targeted the BJP over the bandh call in Bengal and doubled down on the allegation that the main Opposition party was trying to create unrest to reap political benefit.
"BJP has called a bandh because they want dead bodies. We want justice and death by hanging for the accused. They (BJP) have moved away from the goal of demanding justice for the victim. Now they are defaming Bengal. The BJP is shameless. They are indulging in a conspiracy," she said.
The rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at the state-run hospital in Kolkata has shaken the country and emerged as a massive political challenge for the Trinamool Congress.
Besides Opposition BJP and the Left, the ruling party in Bengal has drawn criticism from its ally Congress. Commenting on the incident, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said "the attempt to save the accused, instead of providing justice to the victim, raises serious questions on the hospital and the local administration".
In a sharp response, Ms Banerjee has questioned the Congress's response to such crimes in states ruled by them. "I want to ask Congress... how many incidents have taken place in your states... what action do you take? And under CPIM rule there were a plethora of heinous crimes (and) the then government was silent. Since there was no social media then... people were not so aware."