Proposed rally to Nabanna on Tuesday to demand CM's resignation over doctor death illegal: TMC

Kolkata: Senior West Bengal Minister and TMC leader Chandrima Bhattacharya described the proposed 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally on Tuesday by a student outfit called Chhatra Samaj, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the rape-murder of a post-graduate trainee doctor at R G Kar hospital, as "illegal and an attempt to incite widespread unrest in Kolkata".

At a press conference here on Monday, Bhattacharya claimed that the rally has been called without police permission and suggested it was part of a plan by some elements to disrupt peace and stability in the state.

Bhattacharjee, who was joined by TMC leaders Kunal Ghosh and Joyprakash Majumdar, emphasised that the investigation into the rape-murder of the doctor has been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and dismissed the call for the CM’s resignation as politically motivated.

"The call for this rally has been given on social media by Chhatra Samaj, which has not intimated police about their plans. We all want justice for the victim and exemplary punishment for the perpetrators. The case has been handed over to the CBI and the demand for the resignation of the CM is politically motivated," she said.

Echoing her stand, Ghosh questioned the rationale behind the rally’s decision to march to Nabanna, the state secretariat, instead of the CBI office where the probe is underway.

Ghosh presented videos purportedly showing two persons advocating for violence to ensure the rally's success, which he linked to right-wing groups and some leftists, including the CPI(M).

He warned of potential disruptions, including outsiders being brought in and people possibly disguising themselves in police uniforms to provoke violence and blame police.

"What these people - mostly right-wing forces like RSS and ABVP as well as some leftists backed by CPIM - really want is clear from these videos. They want deaths. We have information that people from outside the state are also being brought to foment unrest during the rally. We have also learnt some people in the rally will be wearing police uniforms and fire on people to shift the blame on the police," he said.

Ghosh said elements out to destabilise Bengal are more interested in dislodging the CM from power after repeated rejections by the electorate in Bengal.

In response, BJP Rajya Sabha MP and state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya denied any involvement of the party in the rally, asserting that if any members of the saffron party attend, it would be in their individual capacity. The BJP, he said, has no official role in organising the march.

CPI(M) leader Satarup Basu criticised the TMC’s claims as an expression of fear and desperation.

He accused the TMC of panicking due to rising spontaneous protests and asserted that the CPI(M) supports peaceful, democratic protests against the ruling party’s alleged misrule.

"We have repeatedly said BJP and right-wing organisations are behind the August 27 rally and none of the Left organisations will participate," Basu said.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) previously clarified that it did not initiate the call for the march but affirmed its support for democratic movements.