Bengal Government’s Ham-Handed Attempts To Throttle Protests Over Junior Doctor’s Rape-Murder Is Intensifying Anger Against Mamata Banerjee

After days of spirited and intense protests over the horrific rape-murder of the junior doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College & Hospital in north Kolkata 10 days ago, the Mamata Banerjee government has started cracking down on protesters and dissenters. 

From trying to intimidate those leading the protests and unleashing the police on protesters to prohibiting processions and demonstrations and warning teachers and students against hitting the streets, the Banerjee administration is doing all it can to throttle the protests. 

However, these attempts are only intensifying anger against Banerjee and her government. The main reason for this is that it is widely perceived that the powers-that-be were complicit in an elaborate attempt to cover-up the ghastly crime. 

The brutal lathi-charge on football fans who gathered in front of Salt Lake Stadium late Sunday afternoon after a derby match featuring the two leading soccer clubs (East Bengal and Mohun Bagan) was cancelled, and has infuriated many in the city and the state. 

The fans of the two clubs, usually riven by intense rivalry, joined hands in a rare display of solidarity over the horrendous crime that has shaken Kolkata’s conscience. Supporters of another major soccer club — Mohammedan Sporting — joined them. 

But a huge police contingent there chased the protesters away and mounted a ferocious lathi-charge on them, leaving many grievously injured. Images of the merciless police action on the protesters took social media by storm and evoked strong condemnations.  

The Kolkata Police, which is often accused of going overboard to protect the interests of the ruling Trinamool Congress, has issued notices to over 200 people for their social media posts on the gruesome crime. 

One of the most prominent persons to be summoned is the Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy. The parliamentarian, in a social media post, asked for the custodial interrogation of Kolkata Police commissioner Vineet Goyal and also questioned police laxity in investigating the crime. 

Former BJP MP Locket Chatterjee has also been summoned to Lalbazar (the Kolkata Police HQs) for a social media post. Others who have been summoned include renowned cardiologist Kunal Sarkar and the chief medical officer of Bardhaman district, Subarno Goswami. 

Both Sarkar and Goswami had criticised the police and alleged a cover-up attempt in their social media posts. Goswami, who is also a senior office-bearer of the Association of Health Service Doctors, West Bengal, and also the All India Federation of Government Doctors’ Associations, had also participated in a protest march by doctors in Bardhaman. 

Former Trinamool Congress MP Santanu Sen, who was the president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), was dropped as party spokesperson following his participation in a demonstration by doctors of RG Kar Medical College & Hospital last week. Sen, a physician, is an alumni of the medical college. 

Late last week, the Bengal government transferred 42 senior doctors attached to various state-run medical colleges and hospitals in Kolkata to other districts in what was seen as punishment for their participation in protests. The transfer orders were rescinded after protests over the vindictive action started gathering steam. 

In order to pre-empt more protests, the police have clamped prohibitory orders banning gatherings and demonstrations in some parts of Kolkata. Strict instructions were sent to heads of schools and colleges asking them to ensure that their students do not participate in protests and rallies. 

It is learnt that the many clubs and social organisations which receive doles from the government are being asked to keep a watch on people in their respective areas and discourage planned demonstrations and protests. 

Grassroots-level Trinamool netas and functionaries have also been tasked with talking people out of participating in future protests. Disturbing reports are being received from some localities, especially in the fringes of Kolkata and its lower middle class neighbourhoods, of residents being warned of dire consequences if they participate in protests. 

Admins of social media groups which gave calls for participation in protests throughout last week have received calls from police officers asking them to refrain from organising any more protests. 

“I received a call from someone claiming to be a police officer from Lalbazar asking me to stop issuing calls for and organising any more protests. He said my phone conversations and social media activities are being monitored. I was scared, but am very angry now. Are we living in a police state? I will definitely disobey the police and organise more protests; the phone call strengthened my resolve to defy the state,” a third-year engineering student of Jadavpur University who has been in the forefront of some protests told Swarajya. 

The attempts to throttle protests has angered people of the city and, in many cases, only served to strengthen their resolve to participate in more protests and rallies planned over this week. 

What has also given wings to planned protests over this week was the strong criticism by the parents of the victim (the junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital) of the state government’s attempts to thwart protests. The parents have wondered why the state is so keen on cracking down on protesters and what it has to hide.  

Many are wondering why the Banerjee government is hell-bent on thwarting protests which have remained apolitical and only seek justice for the victim and strong punishment to the perpetrators of the horrendous crime. 

The question now being asked is: what does the government want to hide and why is it unnerved by the protests?