'Mamata has no children, can't understand our pain': R G Kar rape-murder victim's parents on CM's remark

As Kolkata continues to witness a series of protest against the rape and murder of a doctor at the state-run R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, the victim's parents on Friday slammed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her alleged remarks on the protesting doctors.

Speaking to ANI, the mother of a 31-year-old trainee woman doctor, who was raped and murdered at the hospital on August 9, said that they are hurt by the chief minister's remark, adding, "The whole world stands by my daughter. They are protesting, agitating for justice. And she says we do not want justice. I want them (protestors) to continue the movement until they get justice. The Chief Minister said the family does not want justice! Mamata has no son or daughter herself, so she cannot understand the pain of losing a child."

Addressing a rally organised by the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad, Banerjee had on Wednesday urged the agitating junior doctors of Bengal to urgently consider returning to duty and said she doesn't want to lodge FIRs against the striking doctors in consideration of their future careers.

Agitating doctors interpreted the chief minister's remark as a "veiled threat" and rejected her appeal to join work.

Reacting to the three purported audio recordings of phone calls, allegedly made by R G Kar Medical College authorities on August 9 morning to the parents of the rape-murder victim asking them to report to the hospital, the father of the victim said that they "will not take responsibility for it.''

He also added, "We don't know from where, how it (the phone conversation between the family and the assistant superintendent of the hospital) went viral."

The purported audio recordings raised questions on whether the hospital was initially trying to cover up the ghastly crime.

Meanwhile, CM Mamata Banerjee on Thursday in a post on X had clarified that she did not threaten junior doctors at state-run hospitals, who have been continuing ceasework to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a woman medic.

Banerjee said that some people accused her of threatening the agitating junior doctors, which is "completely false".

"Let me most emphatically clarify that I have not uttered a single word against the (medical etc.) students or their movements. I totally support their movement. Their movement is genuine. I never threatened them, as some people are accusing me of doing. This allegation is completely false," she said on X.

With PTI inputs