The intense political debate surrounding the rape and murder of a junior doctor at West Bengal’s R G Kar Medical College and Hospital resonated with the Supreme Court on Thursday, leading the supreme court to request that parties refrain from turning the case into a game of politics.
Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud stated to lawyers in the Supreme Court as they mentioned remarks made by figures from both sides of the political parties.Kapil Sibal, representing the West Bengal government, requested the Supreme Court to ensure that no one took advantage of the circumstance, noting that the state government had already filed a status report and an affidavit.
Sibal then urged the three-judge bench to ensure that no provocative statements were made now that the investigation was being conducted by the Central Bureau of investigation.However, solicitor general Tushar Mehta immediately countered Sibal’s statements by highlighting a statement made by a ruling Trinamool Congress minister.”We have a statement of the sitting minister of West Bengal saying if anyone says anything against our leader, his fingers will be chopped off,” he said and also added “no one should make any comments.”
Kapil Sibal responded sharply to this, stating, “then I will read the statement of leader of opposition in West Bengal.” The CJI warned political parties not to politicise the matter as a result of the top lawyers’ criticisms and counterattacks on each other. The Chief Justice of India went on to state that the court was mindful of the future safety and well-being of doctors.
In West Bengal, the opposition BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress have been fighting a bitter verbal battle over the junior doctor’s barbaric rape and murder. On August 9, in the morning, the body of the victim was discovered with significant marks from injuries inside the seminar room of the chest department of the state-run RG Kar hospital.
The Kolkata Police arrested a civic volunteer in connection with the case the following day. The BJP has led protests across the state seeking the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. It has also criticised the opposition’s INDIA bloc for failing to speak out over the tragic crime.
Mamata Banerjee had earlier claimed that the Left (Vaam) and Ram (Bharatiya Janata party) were working together to encourage trouble in West Bengal. However, Mamata has been on the defensive following the incident due to public outrage. All major parties have strongly reacted to her words.