In West Bengal, the outrage against the Mamata Banerjee government and the Kolkata Police is at its peak. The brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College on August 9 led to massive protests across the state. Serious questions are being raised on the working style of the Mamata Banerjee government and the Kolkata Police in this case. The public and the opposition allege that the government and the police made many big mistakes regarding this heinous crime, which worsened the situation.
More than 10 days have passed. Protests are intensifying across the country. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court reprimanded the West Bengal government. Since the heinous crime that took place at RG Kar Medical College on August 9, at least 10 such incidents have come to light, which expose the faults of the Mamata Banerjee administration and the Kolkata Police.
Let us know about those 10 big mistakes of Mamata Banerjee and Kolkata Police, which instead of calming down the situation, made the situation even more serious.
1. Attempt to suppress the matter
From the day of the incident, attempts were made to present the case as a suicide. The authorities of RG Kar Medical College tried to portray the murder of the doctor as a suicide, while the post-mortem report clearly showed that the doctor was first raped and then killed. The report confirmed murder by strangulation and gagging, with 16 external and 9 internal injury marks.
2. The parents had to wait a long time to see their daughter’s body
The doctor’s parents were made to wait for more than three hours at the hospital to see their daughter’s body. Later, when they were shown the body, the police pressured them to cremate the body in a hurry. The victim’s mother accused the police of ending the investigation as quickly as possible and said that they did not receive any cooperation from the police in this case.
3. Negligence in investigation and compensation of Rs 10 lakh
Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress leaders have direct control over Kolkata and West Bengal Police. In this case too, the police first informed the victim’s parents about suicide and later said that it was rape and murder. Apart from this, a page of the victim’s diary was missing, due to which it is feared that it could have contained important information. Mamata Banerjee offered a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the victim’s family, but the victim’s father called it an insult to his struggle for justice.
4. Construction work near the incident site
Shortly after this brutal incident in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College, masonry work was started near the spot. A part of the wall of the bathroom adjoining the seminar hall was being broken. Naturally, all this gave rise to suspicion of an attempt to destroy evidence. The opposition also raised questions on this and the court also expressed displeasure over this.
5. Resignation of Principal of Medical College and new posting
After the incident, RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh resigned, but no action was taken against him. Instead, he was transferred to a higher post at the National Medical College in Kolkata. Ghosh was accused of initially trying to hush up the incident by calling it a suicide. His colleagues also questioned his actions and expressed doubts about his rapid career promotions.
6. Wrong handling of protests
There was anger among doctors and students after the incident. They immediately started protesting. But the government ignored their demands and forced them to return to work. The government did not pay attention to issues like women’s safety and workplace safety, but blamed the protesters. During the protest, RG Kar Medical College was vandalized on the night of August 14, but the police failed to stop it.
7. Vandalism in medical college
On the night of 14 August, thousands of people took to the streets as part of the ongoing agitation in Kolkata. During this time, an incident of vandalism took place at RG Kar Medical College. During this time, the police not only delayed taking action, but it is alleged that instead of performing their duties, the police kept watching silently.
8. Kolkata Derby cancelled
The Mamata Banerjee government was accused of suppressing the protests. The derby match between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal in Kolkata was canceled citing security reasons and the match was shifted to Jamshedpur in Jharkhand. Critics say that this decision was taken so that no major protest could take place during the match.
9. Action on media and social media
The government and the police tried to suppress the questions raised on this issue in the media and on social media. According to the Indian Express report, a total of 280 people from West Bengal and other states were issued notices and a 23-year-old student from the state was arrested by the police in connection with the protest. Even Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Shekhar Roy was sent a notice by the police.
10. Mamata Banerjee’s protest against Mamata Banerjee
As public outrage grew in this case, Mamata Banerjee herself took to the streets and demanded strict action against the culprits. She also gave an ultimatum to the CBI to expedite the investigation of the case. But critics say that this protest was motivated only by political pressure, because Kolkata Police comes under Mamata Banerjee.
Due to these incidents and mistakes, the credibility of the Mamata Banerjee government has come under serious question. Public outrage in the state is increasing and the position of the government is continuously weakening.