Kolkata rape-murder case: Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan deplores 'insensitive' attitude of Bengal govt

Kolkata: Deploring the alleged "insensitive attitude" of the West Bengal government to the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday said a "fear psychosis" has gripped the children of the country following the ghastly crime.

Pradhan, who was talking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme of IIT Kharagpur in the city, said the respective governments at the state and Centre must abide by the directives of the Supreme Court on the issue.

"But the world has been witness to the insensitivity of the state government, the 'don't care' attitude, and the unsuccessful effort to hide evidence," he said.

Asserting the Supreme Court has raised basic questions advocating strong steps about this incident in Bengal, Pradhan said it is shocking that a democratically elected state government which came to power on 'Maa Mati Manush' slogan has become "deaf to the cries" of justice of its people.

Referring to the arrested civic volunteer Sanjay Roy, Pradhan said "he was recruited as a civic volunteer of Kolkata Police and continued in his service despite reports about his past misdeeds." Deploring the brutal incident, he said "I condemn such incident in Bengal. I offer my condolences to the family." The postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital here on August 9.

Asked to comment on Union Education minister's statement, West Bengal Finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya told PTI, "We won't comment on what Pradhan has said. It is a sub-judice issue."