Kolkata Doctor Case Sparks Political Critique Against Mamata Banerjee's Leadership

Actor turned politician Chirag Paswan criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for protesting against her own government, suggesting it highlights the TMC administration's weakness. "If you take to the streets as the Chief Minister, are you assuring the public of justice or are you creating an atmosphere of fear among them? This somewhere shows Mamata Banerjee's weakness as a Chief Minister, if the Chief Minister of a state to the streets against her own government, her own administration, then it shows their weakness. This shows that perhaps the machinery of your state is not under your control and that is why there is an atmosphere of anarchy in a state like Bengal," Paswan, who is now a Union Minister told reporters.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shehzad Poonawalla accused Trinamool Congress of "destroying evidence" related to the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. He also criticised leaders from the INDIA bloc for their silence on the matter. "Instead of catching the goons who ransacked RG Kar Medical College, they are cracking down on citizens, doctors, and opponents. The TMC government is involved in destroying the evidence. They talk about saving the Constitution, but Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Vadra, Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Chaturvedi, the leaders of the INDI alliance, all them are missing in action. None of them have a single word to say. The order that was issued to transfer 43 doctors has also been withdrawn and they are seeing this was a routine order. Why are they withdrawing it? It was done to intimidate the doctors," Shehzad Poonawalla said.

The protests were triggered by an incident on August 9 when a postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. This tragic event sparked nationwide strikes and protests by medical professionals.

On August 14, tensions escalated as a mob vandalised both the protest site and hospital campus at RG Kar Medical College. Security personnel had to intervene to disperse the crowd.

Earlier today, students and junior doctors continued their protests despite heavy rain in Kolkata. Demonstrations have spread across various states including Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Mumbai. In response to these events, the West Bengal Governor's office instructed medical colleges to enhance security measures and ensure adequate protection for women doctors and paramedics. "Today Raj Bhavan contacted Medical Colleges in the State and alerted them to beef up security and ensure that women doctors and paramedics are provided adequate protection," Raj Bhavan Media Cell said in a post on X.

Additionally, football fans protested near Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata over the incident, leading to the cancellation of a Durand Cup match between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.

Police Action

In light of ongoing unrest, Kolkata Police imposed Section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (formerly Section 144 of CrPC) around RG Kar Medical College for seven days starting August 18.

The situation remains tense with various stakeholders calling for justice while authorities attempt to maintain order amid widespread discontent.