The News National Bureau ;
WestBengal CM MamataBanerjee sets deadline for CBI to hang the rapist and murder accused by next Sunday – August 25.
Banerjee says, “We are going to press for the hanging of the accused by next Sunday & complete the investigation. Though Kolkata Police has completed 90% of the investigation. I am going to lead a protest march on August 16, request all mothers and the sisters to join.”
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said,
• I express my condolences to the family affected by the RG Kar case and the students as well
• Through this programme, we commemorate the sacrifices of our freedom fighters
• Some people on social media are propagating lies. They can abuse me as much as they want because I am used to it. But do not insult Bangla Maa
• *Those who say “Yeh Azadi Jhootha Hai” cannot understand the maryada of Independence Day. Have they even marked Independence Day when they were in power? Towards the end of their 34-year Left regime, they have done it only twice – once, they even hoisted the flag upside down*
• BJP was not even born during that time. How will they understand the significance of Independence Day? They have just come to power. Their only work is to disintegrate the country, and society, and spark divisions in the name of religion and identity. They don’t want unity. But such things don’t last
• I am forced to talk about these things today because of their behaviour. This is why Modiji could not get a majority and had to depend on others. In the coming days, if someone revokes support, this government will also collapse
• *When have we not taken action? When the incident took place, I was in Jhargram. I got to know about the incident when I was coming back. From the vehicle itself, I immediately contacted CP Vineet Goyal and was told that they were there in the hospital with the parents of the victims. I spoke to both the parents then and assured them that the police would probe and we would ensure capital punishment for the rapists. I had been saying this from the first day and reiterate this today as well*
• I told them I would visit. And I visited them after the rituals were done as it would have been improper. The ritual was on Sunday and I visited them Monday. The incident took place on Friday. *Listen to the incident of that night. I must have spoken to the police around 100 times. Minute-to-minute details were shared. I didn’t sleep the entire night. I spoke to the CP till 2 am. Police escorted the body till the time it was cremated. They stayed up the entire night to do the work – including combing through CCTV footage, calling the Judicial Magistrate, and engaging in videography [of the process]. The next day DNA test and sample collection were also done*
• *Over 164 people were appointed to go through CCTV footage of a month to identify the comings and goings of all. The accused was identified, questioned, and arrested within 12 hours. I had given them time till Sunday because time must be given for an investigation*
• *I had asked the health department to investigate as I can’t take action without investigation. This is a minimum courtesy…I had asked the health department to investigate within 48 hours and see who was negligent. When they reported their findings back, I transferred everyone. People have to understand that I cannot act without evidence*
• In Dhananjay’s case, the witness is saying that he feels like a sinner as he was coached to give a statement against Dhananjoy Chatterjee. The person is now dead but the Left govt helped the actual criminals
*I am sorry to mention the name as Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has passed away but his wife called for the death penalty for Dhananjay at Dorina crossing. The capital punishment took place. Only years later, people got to know that the person who gave a statement against Dhananjoy said that he was threatened into making statements against Dhananjay*
• *This is the era of modernisation. Catch the accused and hang the perpetrators. We do not have any issues with that. But the innocents must not be implicated or punished. We won’t have an issue even if thousands of culprits are hanged to death and no one among us will not interfere. We abide by the Calcutta High Court order and so does our police. We will cooperate. Let the CBI do their investigation. We do not have any connection with the matter. We want capital punishment against the culprits in this case*
• I had sought time till Sunday saying that if the probe isn’t completed, I would hand over the case to CBI myself. But that time wasn’t given. The police had already questioned 34 people in the case and they had more people on the list who would be questioned in the next 4-5 days. But they weren’t given a chance to do so. All said and done, we have no issue that the HC handed over the case to CBI. I would have had to hand over the case to CBI only if police couldn’t crack it
• The Kolkata Police team that was investigating the case was one of the best teams in the world. If that hadn’t been the case, they would not have cracked the murder of a Bangladesh MP within a day in Bhangar. Earlier, if VIPs would come here, the Central govt would share the data with us but they don’t anymore. If we knew that someone was here, we could have taken more care. Even the blast in Bangalore was solved by our police
• *Do as much politics as you want, but don’t politicise a death.* Stand by the family of the victim and express your condolences. Make sure this social evil is defeated. This has happened in MP, UP, Delhi, and Rajasthan. Hundreds of women were paraded naked in Manipur. What did the BJP govt there do? What did CPI(M) do? We had sent our team. What did the BJP do in the Unnao case? What was the UP police doing in the Hathras case? The victim was cremated without the permission of the family. I even ask the Congress, you have the government in various States, what have you people done there [to ensure justice]?
• What did the CPI(M) do in the case of Dr Anita Dewan, who was gangraped and killed in Bantala? The same CPI(M) that is making tall claims on social media today for cheap politics is not looking in the mirror. Not many know this but I remember because I was there. I had protested at Bantala. 19 members of Ananda Marga were murdered and set on fire in broad daylight near Ballygunge in Kolkata. Who set them ablaze at Bijon Setu? It was the CPI(M). 14 people were killed in Nandigram and 10 people were drowned in the river. Tapasi Mallick was raped and later burnt to death in Singur in an oven used for cooking. What was the CPI(M) doing then? Barnali Dutta, a nurse, was killed mercilessly in Cooch Behar. All of this happened under the Left regime. What did you do? We didn’t have social media back then, but I was a witness and I know. I have been a part of protests since forever – I know which protest is _shothik_ [genuine] and which is _bethik_ [appropriated]
• Raghunandan Tiwari was shot dead in Behala. Days later, Robin, Biman, and Haider were killed in Cooch Behar. Days after that, Bimala Dey was also killed. How many farmers have you killed in Santipur and Rajarhat? How many people have you killed in Keshpur? How many skeletons were buried underground? And today, you [Left] have taken to the streets to protest! Instead of standing by the family [of the victim], CPI(M)-BJP has taken to politicising the matter so that they can reap political benefits. They think something has happened in Bangladesh and they could stretch it and use it to come to power
• I don’t work for power. I have always stood for what is right and will ensure justice for people for as long as I am alive. I got the police to do a lot of work; yet, they [CPI(M)] went to court. They have only one person who goes to court for everything. We know who goes to court to cancel 26,000 jobs and cancel OBC certificates
• *Why will a CPI(M) MP get involved in this case? He is a politically biased person and will not talk in an impartial manner. We will need an impartial person in such cases. There are many lawyers who aren’t MPs or CPI(M)/BJP leaders. And now, _Gaddar Babu_ is saying who should be arrested. Doesn’t this mean that they don’t want the real culprits to be arrested? We are observing everything*
• If 1% is right about what is floating around, 99% is misinformation and defamation. This is because they don’t want Bengal to live in peace. They want to defame Bengal globally. We have never done this kind of politics. Even I have been a part of multiple movements and agitations. Why had you [CPI(M)] attacked me back then? Why had you vandalised my car and shot at me? BJP, I suffered a ligament injury and I had to plaster my leg [during the 2021 Assembly Elections] and continue my campaign
• How many people were killed in the name of CAA-NRC? How many Bengalis were excluded in Assam? Delhi’s canals had turned red. Did we get to know how many people died in Delhi, UP, MP, Rajasthan? BJP came to power in Tripura. Sushmita Dev, Dola Sen, and Abhishek Banerjee had gone for a meeting there. But they were attacked and their cars were destroyed. Not only this, FIRs were filed against them. They were not allowed to do a political campaign
• Now, we don’t have media, we have ‘Modia’. They are being controlled by the BJP govt. If there is a Railways accident, they are not asked to show it. The Railways Minister is the I&C [sic] Minister as well. If they want, they can file a defamation case against me. When there is a rail accident, we get to see distorted news. There is no Kavach system. They [Centre] have even destroyed the Constitution
*• There is an alliance between Baam-Raam-Shyam and they are being funded by the BJP. Central govt is helping spread unrest in Bengal. If CPI(M) is against BJP, why are they taking favours from them? What do we mean by _joutha mancha_? Your colour is one. I am just watching their one-sided constant attack and propaganda against us*
*• I spoke to the family of the victim [at their residence] for more than an hour. CP Vineet Goyal was also there. I even said that, even though their daughter would not come back again, if the parents wanted to do something in her name, we would fund the same as per our duty. I offered to give compensation. We could have given Rs 10 lakh. But her mother has said that once justice is served, they will talk about this matter [compensation]. I am quoting their words*
• *When I asked them to list all their suspicions and names and give me time till Sunday, they had said certain things. The police had immediately said that they would call everyone. They called a lot of people. Evidence was in the hands of Kolkata Police, which they have now handed over to CBI. Since our targeted time was till Sunday, we want the case to be solved and capital punishment being given to the culprit by Sunday. The CBI should ensure this.* I had ensured a chargesheet in the Balurghat case within 3 days. Even in the Kamduni case, we had talked about capital punishment action but the High Court made it life imprisonment. They are still in jail
• Kharap is always Kharap. No one can support it, including us
*• The doctors who haven’t joined work I want to tell them that 3 people have already died without treatment, including a child and a pregnant woman. Doctors are duty-bound to serve the people. I urge them, I appeal to them, I fall at your feet – Now, let’s work for the people and provide them with medical treatment as this is why doctors are trained. You have protested for 4-5 days and nobody opposed it. Now, let us start work. This is my appeal. The Principal Secretary (Health) appealed the same yesterday. Today, I am issuing a public appeal on this. I am thankful to the senior doctors who are serving the people in the Emergency*
• I want to tell the Opposition political parties that don’t just do politics just to get fame and publicity on TV and social media. Don’t do politics to increase your numbers. The other name of politics is to serve people
• On the eve of Independence Day, I salute and pay homage to our freedom fighters. I also extend my sympathy to the grieving family. I extend my greetings to all the people across Bengal. Target me if you want, but don’t defame Bengal
• Do not think that we are one-sided. I have always supported the agitation of the doctors. But I don’t support the people who are trying to politicise the matter. As for the people who are saying that they quit the post of Party spokesperson, they were already removed. Principal, MSVP, relevant police authorities, and HoD were transferred – we didn’t spare anyone. This matter is sub-judice. We have handed over all the evidence and necessary documents to the CBI. We are ready to cooperate more if needed. Provided, the real perpetrators are given the death penalty. Shielding culprits will not be accepted
• We have the _Khela Dibas_ on August 16, to commemorate a painful incident at Maidan. Tomorrow, we have Independence Day
*• I would request people of my party to kindly leave these two days and not organise any mass protest. On August 17, across the state in every block and ward, between 2-4pm, AITC will hold protest meetings against Baam-Raam’s conspiracy to spread unrest in Bengal*
*• On August 18, there will be a dharna from 10 am to 6 pm*
*• On August 19, we will celebrate Rakhi in every block to show state unity. We will not allow the division of Bengal. To preserve the culture and unity of Bengal and to ensure that Bengal remains united, we will observe the Rakhi festival. From August 20 onwards, we will hit the roads again. I will announce the further programmes on August 19. AITC will remain on the roads and demand capital punishment for the rapists. AITC will demand the death penalty for the rapists in every block and continue the movement*
• Opposition loves insulting me because I work for all. I don’t expect anything from the BJP, CPI(M), ultra-Left, or even the Congress. But I hope they don’t defame Bengal or insult Bangla Maa
• In demands for justice for one woman, the brothers must take the responsibility to protect their sisters. Brothers and sisters are one. We have empowered our women and have undertaken multiple schemes by learnings of Raja Rammohan Roy and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. The BJP and CPI(M) can’t stand this. This is why they want to instigate people. Slowly, the people will understand their true faces. Some of them are not students, but they are politically motivated groups who want to remove me [from power].
Mamata Banerjee on Congress and indirectly slammed on Rahul Gandhi’s tweet:
*Do as much politics as you want, but don’t politicise a death.* Stand by the family of the victim and express your condolences. Make sure this social evil is defeated. This has happened in MP, UP, Delhi, and Rajasthan. Hundreds of women were paraded naked in Manipur. What did the BJP govt there do? What did CPI(M) do? We had sent our team. What did the BJP do in the Unnao case? What was the UP police doing in the Hathras case? The victim was cremated without the permission of the family.
I even ask the Congress, you have the government in various States, what have you people done there [to ensure justice]?
