The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has targeted the Congress party on the issue of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, following Rahul Gandhi’s recent comments on the rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Three days after Gandhi’s remark, which drew a parallel from “Kathua to Kolkata,” the TMC criticized Congress for not addressing allegations against Siddaramaiah. Kunal Ghosh, former TMC Rajya Sabha MP, questioned Gandhi’s stance by sharing an article about Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot’s decision to sanction the prosecution of Siddaramaiah in an alleged land scam. Ghosh asked on social media, “Will you call for your CM’s resignation? You criticized without fully understanding the situation in Bengal. Will you now address the corruption charges against your own CM?”
Gandhi had earlier expressed solidarity with the victim’s family, demanding stringent punishment for the perpetrators and questioning the local administration’s handling of the case. He stated, “The attempt to save the accused instead of providing justice raises serious concerns about the hospital and the local authorities.”
On the same day, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh called for a swift resolution of the case by the CBI. He emphasized the need for comprehensive measures to tackle both public and domestic sexual violence. Singh urged that the issue should be managed sensitively rather than being politicized.
In response, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav defended Mamata Banerjee, asserting that she has acted appropriately and suggested that the BJP should refrain from politicizing the matter. Both Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi supported Banerjee’s actions and the measures taken to address the issue.