Mamata cries ‘conspiracy’ by Centre in RG Kar protests, urges people to ‘return to festivities’

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged that the Centre was conspiring over public outcry involving the alleged rape and murder of a doctor at a state-run hospital last month.

She also claimed that some Left parties were involved in it.

Speaking at an administrative review meeting at the state secretariat 'Nabanna', Banerjee also claimed she had never offered money to the deceased doctor's parents, dismissing a campaign that the family members of the postgraduate trainee were requested to accept compensation.

The chief minister took the opportunity to urge people to "return to festivities" as Durga puja is round the corner.

“If you stay on the roads every night, elderly people suffer from sleep deprivation because of noise pollution. We haven’t acted on state pollution control board norms. One month has passed. I request you to return to festivities and demand that the CBI completes investigations at the earliest,” she said.

The Bengal CM also requested the junior doctors to resume duty at the earliest and directed state Health Secretary NS Nigam to keep a note of the Supreme Court's direction on the issue.

Earlier in the day, the top court directed the protesting resident doctors in West Bengal to resume work by 5 pm on Tuesday and said it wouldn’t stop the state from taking action against the striking doctors if they failed to meet the deadline.

The court passed the direction after the Bengal government assured it that no action, including punitive transfers, would be taken against the protesting doctors on resumption of work.

"The Supreme Court has requested you to join duty, I will repeat that request. If you have anything to say, you are always welcome. You can form a team of 5 to 10 members and meet me," she said, offering across-the-table talks with the agitating doctors.

"Kolkata Police arrested the culprit within 12 hours of the incident. The Kolkata police commissioner sent one of his officers to meet the parents and showed CCTV footage to brief them about the investigation.

"When I reached their house, the CP was with me. I asked the CP to record all of their allegations. There are people accusing me of speaking of money. I never said any such thing. Show me a proof of that. This is a slanderous lie, a conspiracy." Banerjee asserted.

The chief minister had visited the residence of the murdered RG Kar hospital doctor on August 12 and met her parents.

"I told the parents that if they had plans to honour their daughter's memory, our government would stand by them. I know what words to utter in such situations.

"Even after I left, you (reporters) asked the parents about this. We have records of what I had said," she said.

The CM drew attention of a doctors' body demanding compensation for the family members of the victim.

"Before I went to the deceased doctor's home, the Residential Doctors' Forum had made an official statement in which they had mentioned adequate compensation to the family. They had made a demand. The SC has a directive to help the families of such victims," Banerjee said.

She asked about the intention behind the ongoing protests over the medic's alleged rape and murder at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

"This (the protests) is definitely a conspiracy by the Centre and some Left parties are also involved in it. Some people are taking advantage of the recent turmoil in our neighbouring country. They have forgotten that India and Bangladesh are separate nations," she said.

Banerjee, who heads the home department, revealed that Kolkata CP Vineet Goyal had offered to resign multiple times in the past week but added, "We need someone who understands law and order and sees us through the Durga puja festivities".

“What’s the harm in being a little patient given that the pujas are round the corner?” she asked.

On the allegations of denying facilities to central forces at RG Kar hospital, Banerjee claimed that adequate boarding facilities were provided to the personnel.

“We have provided them with a 30-bedded hospital space and an adjacent primary school for the forces to stay. We can also set up a temporary structure in a nearby plot with toilets, if required. But it’s not possible to arrange facilities in a congested part of the city more than what we already have. The Centre must also take responsibility instead of pinning blame on the state,” she said.

Banerjee, who is also the health minister of the state, conveyed to the protesting doctors that their demands were fulfilled “as much as possible”.

"You visited the health secretary at Swasthya Bhavan and all four demands were met. We have removed the officials. We got indirect complaints and suspended two officials," she said.

The Bengal CM praised the Kolkata Police for being patient and not taking any action against the agitating doctors.

"I am happy that our police maintained their calm and tackled law and order situations despite having bled themselves. This can only happen in Bengal because we respect democracy here. This does not happen in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, or in Delhi," Banerjee said.

The body of a woman doctor was recovered from the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. The postgraduate trainee was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at the health facility, which triggered a nationwide protest.