As protests over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata's R G Kar Hospital boils over, the BJP leaders have sharpened their claws at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, with party chief Nadda leading the attacks.
The BJP chief took a swipe at the Bengal chief minister on Tuesday, stating "in Didi's West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued". His reaction comes as Kolkata police used force to disperse protesters who threw stones and bricks at security forces and attempted to topple barricades blocking their way to the state secretariat.
"The images of police highhandedness from Kolkata have angered every person who values democratic principles. In Didi's West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued but it's a crime to speak for women's safety," Nadda said on X.
Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya too joined the tirade, calling Mamata a dictator. "If there is any dictator after Hitler in today's time, it is Mamata ji," the minister said. He alleged that there was a nexus between police, anti-social elements and politicians. "You must have seen that the rapist went on a motorcycle with a police emblem on it. He himself is a member of the social police there. Now tell me, if the person working in the police is a rapist, then how will women be safe? It is a matter of great shame that in that state where there is a woman Chief Minister, women are not safe," he added.
Union Minister Lalan Singh also questioned whether there was a government in West Bengal. "There is a climate of anarchy. The CM of the state is a woman. But when there is a demonstration against the violence against women, Mamata Banerjee as the Chief Minister, orders a lathi charge and tear gas on the protesters," he said.
The political slugfest between TMC and BJP also saw other senior leaders hitting out at Mamata. The ruling party alleges an attempt to politicise the issue by the BJP, alleging that the violence during the rally was sponsored by the BJP itself. Senior Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh said the Chhatra Samaj-sponsored Nabanna Abhijan had the backing of the BJP. "This was apparent the way miscreants masquerading as student protestors created large-scale disturbances in the name of peaceful protests today. This was clear by the way the BJP lost no time to give a call for a bandh to foment disturbances," Ghosh told reporters.
The Congress too have sided with its INDIA bloc ally and the alleged bid to politicise the issue. stating it would not help anyone."We all know that the Bengal doctor’s rape case is very sensitive and now after the Supreme Court intervention, it has come to the CBI. We should all try to wait for the correct investigation to happen and the truth should come out. Politicising it for political gains is not going to help anybody," Congress MP Manickam Tagore said.
