CPI(M) Politburo member Subhashini Ali has called for the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee following the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor in the state. Ali also suggested that Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw should step down due to the frequent rail accidents in recent years.
The post-graduate trainee doctor was discovered dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9, with allegations of rape and murder from her family. The case has been transferred to the CBI. Ali raised concerns about Banerjee’s possible connections with the medical college’s head, who was rapidly promoted after resigning, and criticized the Kolkata Police for initially labeling the incident as a suicide. She also questioned the swift repair and painting of the crime scene.
Ali further criticized BJP leaders for demanding Banerjee’s resignation while neglecting accountability for their own ministers. She argued that the Railway Minister should also be held accountable for ongoing rail accidents and that the rapid promotion of the medical college head should be investigated by the CBI.
In response to the incident, protests have erupted nationwide, with doctors in Kolkata, Guwahati, Hyderabad, and Mumbai demanding justice. The RG Kar Medical College’s Principal, Prof. (Dr.) Sandip Ghosh, has resigned following calls from protesting doctors.
Protests continue across India, with demonstrators calling for the swift arrest and punishment of the accused. The CBI, ordered by the Calcutta High Court, has taken over the investigation, with a special team of medical officers and forensic experts from Delhi arriving at the scene.
OPD services at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital were suspended on Wednesday as junior doctors and the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) continued their nationwide strike in response to the incident.