TMC Defends Mamata Banerjee Amid Calls for Resignation, Labels Criticism as Patriarchy
News Mania Desk/Agnibeena Ghosh/26th August 2024
In the wake of the horrifying rape and murder of a postgraduate doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has come forward to defend West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee against mounting demands for her resignation. The party has labeled these demands as a manifestation of patriarchal attitudes, questioning why only the country’s sole female chief minister is being targeted for resignation while male counterparts in other states are not held to the same standard when similar tragedies occur.
TMC Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya expressed the party’s discontent, highlighting that male chief ministers have not faced similar calls for resignation following grievous incidents in their respective states. She pointed out that Mamata Banerjee, who has secured three consecutive electoral victories, is being singled out unfairly. Bhattacharya stated, “There have been so many incidents in so many places. Why the demand for the resignation of the only woman Chief Minister of the country? No demands for the resignation of any male Chief Minister for incidents in other places. That is how patriarchy is.”
As public outrage continues to swell, students’ organizations have organized protest marches, including the Nabanna Abhijan, demanding justice for the deceased doctor. The TMC has condemned these protests, accusing them of attempting to create chaos in the state. The party has alleged that these demonstrations, which have seen participation from both students and doctors, are part of a larger conspiracy to destabilize the government. Bhattacharya further accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its affiliated student wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), of orchestrating these disturbances, suggesting that there is a plot involving criminals disguised as police officers to incite violence during the rallies.
Bhattacharya emphasized that while protests are a democratic right, they should be conducted with proper permissions and in a peaceful manner at designated locations. She expressed concerns about the timing of these protests, especially with upcoming exams, and criticized what she described as “vulture politics” being played out at the expense of students and the larger public.
TMC leader Kunal Ghosh also raised suspicions about the true motives behind the rally aimed at the state secretariat. He questioned why the protesters are not marching to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office, given that the agency has taken over the investigation into the doctor’s death. Ghosh also presented videos that allegedly show individuals advocating for violence to ensure the rally’s success, which he linked to right-wing groups and some leftist organizations, including the CPI(M).
In response to these allegations, the BJP has denied any official involvement in the protests, asserting that any participation by its members would be in their personal capacity rather than as representatives of the party. The BJP and other opposition parties in West Bengal have accused the TMC of attempting to cover up the crime and protect those responsible, thereby fueling the calls for Mamata Banerjee’s resignation.
The incident has undeniably intensified the political atmosphere in West Bengal, with the TMC framing the backlash as an unjust attack on a woman leader who has consistently triumphed in the face of adversity. As investigations continue, the debate over accountability and governance in the state is likely to remain a focal point in the ongoing political discourse.
