CM: RG Kar protest planned strategy of Oppn to wrest power
Kolkata: Alleging that the protest at RG Kar is a “planned strategy of a specific political party”, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused the opposition parties of defaming Bengal and attempting to wrest control of government in the manner it happened in Bangladesh.
“The CPI(M) and the BJP are politicising the RG Kar issue. We have seen what happened in Bangladesh. They are thinking of wresting control of the government.
They should remember that I do not crave power. I will try to give justice to the people till my last breath,” Banerjee said at a programme in Behala on pre-Independence Day.
Her assertions came in the backdrop of a section of opposition leaders trying to connect the RG Kar incident with the Bangladesh issue through slogans and linking the two issues on social media.
Banerjee said: “Majority of those who are protesting are not students. They are thinking of removing me from power. They should know it took me just one second to resign from the Rail Ministry. I will bow down before the common people if needed but never to any political party. Insult me as much as you want, but I won’t tolerate someone insulting Bengal for political mileage,” she asserted.
In protest against “smear campaigns”, Banerjee, who is also the chairperson of Trinamool Congress, announced holding of rallies in all blocks, municipalities and wards from 2 pm to 4 pm on August 17 and dharna in all blocks on August 18. “ We will raise the demand of capital punishment for the offender during such programmes,” she maintained.
Banerjee said that details of this protest programme will be declared on August 19, the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.
Meanwhile, TMC leader Saket Gokhale wrote on X: “How CPM-BJP nexus is playing out & hijacking a protest. Protests MUST be about justice for the victim. Sadly, vulture political parties like BJP & CPM are taking control & trying to score shameless brownie points at the expense of an innocent life that was
brutally snatched.”
