Himanta Biswa Sarma Criticizes Mamata Banerjee for Her Comments on Kolkata Rape-Murder Case

The Chief Minister of Assam criticized Mamata Banerjee for her remarks about Assam during protests following a rape case in Kolkata. He urged her not to provoke conflict with her statements. Mamata Banerjee had accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of igniting tensions in Bengal over the rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata. She warned that if Bengal burns, other states including Assam, North-East, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Delhi will also witness unrest.

The brutal rape and murder of the woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has sparked nationwide outrage, prompting protests demanding justice for the victim. Junior doctors in West Bengal held a protest rally in Kolkata to seek justice for the trainee doctor. In response, the BJP called for a 12-hour Bangla Bandh in West Bengal to highlight the growing frustration within the medical community regarding safety measures and the need for swift justice. Protests erupted in Asansol, with BJP workers blocking railway tracks.

Chaos broke out in Kolkata on August 27 as security forces used tear gas, water cannons, and lathi-charge to disperse protestors marching towards the West Bengal State Secretariat Nabanna. In a significant move, a teacher from West Bengal decided to return an award given by Mamata Banerjee in 2019 to protest against the government’s handling of the rape-murder incident. The trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.