Kolkata: Parents of deceased RG Kar medic point to BJP's 'indifference'

The parents of the doctor who was allegedly sexually assaulted and murdered at Kolkata's state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital about four months ago have expressed unhappiness over the role of the state's opposition BJP in demanding justice for their daughter. They also said they would take to the streets over the issue.

“It seems that the torture and murder of our daughter have been forgotten by the principal opposition party of West Bengal. But we cannot forget our daughter. We will protest on the roads. Common people are with us. Junior doctors are with us.

“We will participate in a rally to (health department headquarters) Swasthya Bhavan called by the Junior Doctors' Front tomorrow,” the father of the deceased said.

Her mother said the reinstatement of some of the junior doctors — accused of patronising a 'threat culture' in state medical colleges — in the West Bengal Medical Council raised doubts about the intent to bring to book all those responsible for the incident.

"But we will not sit indoors. Even if someone is under the impression that the movement for Abhaya (the symbolic name given to the deceased medic) will fizzle out, we will not let that happen. Our friends will not let that happen," she said.

The parents had visited BJP MLAs, including leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari, in the state assembly on 26 November.

"We must keep political interests aside and seek the truth behind the incident. We demand exemplary punishment for those behind the crime," Adhikari had said.

On 9 August, the body of the on-duty doctor was found in the seminar hall of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, following which junior doctors went on a 'cease-work' across West Bengal demanding justice for the victim.

Kolkata Police civic volunteer Sanjay Rai, the prime accused in the murder and alleged rape, was arrested within 12 hours by the police before the case was handed over to the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) on orders from Calcutta High Court. The CBI has so far failed to identify any other suspect in the crime, though it has also arrested former RG Kar principal Sandeep Ghosh in a separate money-laundering case. That investigation is still ongoing.