A day after the BJP accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of threatening doctors protesting the rape and murder of their colleague at a Kolkata hospital, she fired back, condemning what she called a “malicious disinformation campaign” against her.
“Let me most emphatically clarify that I have not uttered a single word against the (medical etc.) students or their movements. I totally support their movement. Their movement is genuine. I never threatened them, as some people are accusing me of doing. This allegation is completely false,” the Trinamool Congress chief stated in a post on X.
“I have spoken against BJP. I have spoken against them because, with the support of the Government of India, they are threatening the democracy in our State and trying to create anarchy. With support from Centre, they are trying to create lawlessness and I have raised my voice against them,” she added.
During a Trinamool Congress students’ wing event on Wednesday, Banerjee urged doctors protesting the August 9 incident at RG Kar Medical College to return to work. While doctors nationwide have resumed their duties after the Supreme Court established a National Task Force to enhance their safety, Kolkata doctors continue their protests demanding justice for the woman.
The protesting doctors have maintained that their movement will continue, while authorities at RG Kar Medical College confirmed that all services are operational.
The Chief Minister addressed them, saying, “We did not act against you after you protested because I understand you are upset. But please join work gradually. Supreme Court has said that the state government can now take action. I don’t want to take action because I want them to study properly. If we get an FIR registered, their future will be destroyed, they won’t get a chance anywhere, they won’t get passports and visas. If I take legal action, their lives will be destroyed. I don’t want that, our government has a human outlook, we want to create more doctors with this human outlook.”
Soon after, BJP’s Sudhanshu Trivedi accused the Chief Minister of using “word play” to threaten doctors. “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,” he said.
Banerjee also addressed the controversy over her use of the phrase “phonsh kora,” which prompted BJP state chief and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar to write to Home Minister Amit Shah. During the party event, Banerjee referenced a story from mystic and social reformer Ramakrishna Paramhansa: “Once, a snake went to Ramakrishna Paramhansa and said, ‘You have asked me not to bite, but when I don’t, people hit me with stones.’ Ramakrishna replied, ‘I have asked you not to bite, but I have stopped you from hissing and scaring them’.”
“Your work in the coming days is to unmask conspirators and scare them,” she added.
Majumdar accused her of inciting the gathering and endorsing revenge politics. “This is nothing less than a blatant endorsement of revenge politics from the highest office in the state,” he said.
In her X post, the Bengal CM explained, “I also clarify that the phrase (‘phonsh kara’) that I had used in my speech yesterday is a quote from Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. The legendary saint had said that occasionally there is need to raise one’s voice. When there are crimes and criminal offences, voice of protest has to be raised. My speech on that point was a direct allusion to the great Ramakrishnite saying.”
