Doctor rape-murder: TMC takes out rallies across Bengal slamming Left-BJP 'conspiracy'

Kolkata: Demanding exemplary punishment for those involved in the rape and murder of a woman postgraduate trainee doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital and protesting "conspiracy hatched by Left and BJP to destabilise West Bengal", the Trinamool Congress on Saturday took out rallies in different parts of the state.

Holding placards that read "Doshider shasti chai" (we demand punishment for the culprits), hundreds of party workers and supporters took out rallies in different parts of the state, including Serampore in Hooghly, Naihati and Belgharia in North 24 Parganas, Chinsurah in Hooghly and Purulia.

"We also denounce the conspiracy by Ram-Baam (BJP and Left) to destabilise West Bengal and disrupt the prevailing peace by politicising a shocking incident of rape and murder," TMC MP and former state minister Partha Bhowmik said at a rally in Naihati.

In Kolkata, senior minister and Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor Firhad Hakim led a rally in Kidderpore area.

The rally demanded a death sentence for the rapist and murderer, while claiming that the state government has ensured the safety and security of women in the state with zero tolerance for any sexual assault.

"The opposition is politicising a tragedy though the state has taken all steps to nab the culprits. We want the CBI to complete the probe and find out all those guilty at the earliest," Hakim said.

The protests took place in the wake of anti-state government rallies and sit-ins by opposition BJP and CPI (M) and Congress demanding justice for the victim.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had led a rally in Kolkata on August 16 demanding death sentence for the accused and slamming the "unholy nexus" between the opposition parties to "instigate" people and "destabilise" West Bengal.