'Sorry': Mamata Dedicates Trinamool Student Event To RG Kar Victim; Suvendu Adhikari Says 'Imitation Day'

Amid reports of students being arrested after the large-scale violence on Kolkata streets during the ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ rally a day before, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday (August 28) dedicated the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad Foundation Day to the RG Kar victim. But, this soon became a political battle after senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari took a swipe at her and said this is nothing but an “imitation” as she is taking away credit from the “original founders” of the party’s student council.

What did Mamata Banerjee say?

Saying “sorry” to all the women subjected to violence across the country, Banerjee extended condolences to the family of the woman doctor. The trainee medic’s alleged rape-murder has triggered widespread protests in Kolkata and other parts of the state calling for the chief minister to step down.

“Today, I dedicate Trinamool Chhatra Parishad Foundation Day to our sister, whose tragic loss at RG Kar hospital we mourned a few days ago… Our heartfelt condolences to the family of the sister who was brutally tortured to death and seeking speedy justice (for her), as well as to all the women of all ages across India who have been subjected to such inhumane acts. Sorry,” she said on social media.

She further said she is seeking speedy justice for her “sister”, who was “brutally tortured to death”. She said students and the youth at large have a social role to play so as to inspire the society and culture.

“Students, youth have a great social role. It is the task of student society to keep alive the dream of a new day by keeping the society and culture awake and to inspire everyone around… My appeal to all of them today, be encouraged in this effort, stay committed. My dear students, stay well, stay healthy, stay committed to a bright future,” she added.

Mamata and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, also the TMC’s national general secretary, will deliver a speech on the occasion at 11 am.

What did Suvendu Adhikari say?

Adhikari slammed Banerjee for co-opting the TMC student event and said she has taken away credit from the original founders of the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad. He said this is not a foundation day but an “imitation day”.

“…today is not the establishment day of the Trinamool Student Council, but the imitation day! Like other things you have ‘stolen’ today as is your natural habit, so as to take away the credit of the original founders like Priya Da and Subrata Da,” he said in a post on X.

The BJP leader further alleged that Banerjee has not allowed elections to the student council to be held in the last nine years because she did not want students to speak out against her “corrupt government”. He questioned her concern for the students’ bright future alleging the TMC government in West Bengal has been involved in paper leaks and large-scale financial corruption in the education department.

“And you understand very well that students and youth have a huge role not only in the social role but also in the formation of the state, so you have deliberately stopped the election of the student council for the past 9 years so that the new generation of student leaders can speak out against your corrupt and corrupt government,” he said.

He added: “And how worried are you about the bright future of students? During your tenure, education department corruption, selling jobs, wrong question papers, leaking question papers before exams, looting crores of rupees by ministers like Partha Chatterjee, forcing legitimate job seekers to sit on the road for years. etc. can be understood through events.”

His verbal attack comes a day after the BJP highlighted the arrest of Sayan Lahiri, who spearheaded the Nabanna rally under the banner of the ‘Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj’, an unregistered student body. The police have slapped rioting and conspiracy charges on the student leader, said state party chief Sukanta Majumdar.

According to Kolkata Police sources, 126 members and supporters of the ‘Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj’ were arrested after the rally, including 33 women. The police used teargas and resorted to lathicharge to disperse BJP leaders and supporters when they marched towards Kolkata Police headquarters at Lalbazar demanding the release of arrested students.

(With PTI inputs)