Rahul Gandhi speaks out on the rape and murder of the doctor

New Delhi:

Following Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s cautious remarks on the rape-murder of the Kolkata doctor that has left the country’s medical community in turmoil, Rahul Gandhi’s social media post today raised inquiries about the handling of the matter by the “local administration” in the state governed by ally Trinamool Congress.

“The effort to shield the accused rather than delivering justice to the victim raises significant doubts on the hospital and the local administration,” stated Mr. Gandhi in his post.

“This incident has prompted us to ponder if doctors are not secure even in a place like a medical college, then how can parents send their daughters outside for education? Why have the stringent laws enacted after the Nirbhaya case failed to prevent such atrocities?

Every political party, every sector of society must engage in profound conversations and implement tangible measures regarding the escalating incidents against women from Hathras to Unnao, and from Kathua to Kolkata,” read a rough translation of his post in Hindi.

कोलकाता में जूनियर डॉक्टर के साथ हुई रेप और मर्डर की वीभत्स घटना से पूरा देश स्तब्ध है। उसके साथ हुए क्रूर और अमानवीय कृत्य की परत दर परत जिस तरह खुल कर सामने आ रही है, उससे डॉक्टर्स कम्युनिटी और महिलाओं के बीच असुरक्षा का माहौल है।

पीड़िता को न्याय दिलाने की जगह आरोपियों को…

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 14, 2024

Ms. Gandhi Vadra broke the Congress’s silence on the issue yesterday, describing it as “heartbreaking” and appealed to the Trinamool Congress government for “swift and strict action”.

“The sexual assault and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College is heartbreaking. The safety of women at workplace is a huge issue that requires serious efforts. I appeal to the state government for swift and strictest action so that the victim’s family and other doctors get justice,” read her post on X, formerly Twitter.

Mr. Gandhi’s critique emerges as pressure mounts on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s administration over the dreadful murder at the prominent state-operated hospital in Kolkata.

Not only has the BJP, the Left, and leaders of the state Congress — traditional adversaries of Ms. Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress — criticized the state government, but the incident has also deeply affected civil society.

Women — the strongest demographic of Mamata Banerjee’s supporters — who had previously overlooked the Sandeshkhali incident and voted overwhelmingly for the party in the recent Lok Sabha election, are organizing a midnight march today with the support of some of her own party members.

In this context, criticism from Mr. Gandhi, a national partner, could intensify the impact.

The 41-year-old postgraduate doctor had drifted off to sleep in a seminar room on Thursday night. Early on Friday morning, her partially clothed body, bearing multiple injuries, was discovered.

The primary suspect is Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer with Kolkata Police who was stationed at the police outpost at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and had access to all departments.

He was apprehended based on CCTV footage showing him entering the building where the doctor was discovered murdered. A Bluetooth headset found next to the woman’s body was observed on his neck in the CCTV footage. It was found to be linked to his phone as well.

Local media reports that the man confessed to the crime willingly. “Hang me if you want,” he was quoted in the local media as saying to the police.

However, there are speculations that the circumstances do not suggest this is a straightforward case. The unanswered queries and discrepancies have given rise to numerous conspiracy theories.

The case is presently under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which took over yesterday following an order from the Calcutta High Court.