Mamata Clarifies After Major Furore on Remark, Claims She Supports Doctor's Movement

Kolkata/New Delhi: After facing flak over her instigating 'Delhi will also burn remark', West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issued a clarification on Thursday and said that she did not say a single word against the medical students or their movements. "I detect a malicious disinformation campaign in some print, electronic and digital media which has been unleashed with reference to a speech that I made in our students' programme yesterday. 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", Mamata clarified on X (formerly Twitter).

She, however, stated that she was speaking against the BJP, accusing the government of "threatening the democracy." "I have spoken against BJP. I have spoken against them because, with the support of the Government of India, they are threatening the democracy in our State and trying to create anarchy. With support from the Centre, they are trying to create lawlessness and I have raised my voice against them", Mamata stated further.  

She added, "I also clarify that the phrase ("phonsh kara") that I had used in my speech yesterday is a quote from Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa Deva. The legendary saint had said that occasionally there is a need to raise one's voice. When there are crimes and criminal offences, the voice of protest has to be raised. My speech on that point was a direct allusion to the great Ramakrishnite saying."

What Mamata had said?

At the TMCP Foundation Day rally, Mamata Banerjee ignited controversy by accusing the BJP of conspiring to tarnish West Bengal's reputation and disrupt the investigation into a recent rape-murder case in Kolkata. She issued a stern warning to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that if the BJP attempted to stir unrest in Bengal, it would have repercussions in other states as well. Mamata declared, "If you set Bengal on fire, Assam, the North-East, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Delhi will burn too!"

Do What You Think Would Be The Best: When Mamata Calls For Violence

"When we came to power, we used the slogan ,' Badla noy, bodol chai' (We want change, not Revenge), today I'm telling you something different, do what you think would be the best. I don't want violence, but if someone is plotting against you and biting you, you may not bite them back but you would at least hiss at them, is it not? A snake asked Ramkrishna Paramhans, sire you forbade me to bite anyone but there are many who throw rocks at me , bleed me. I'm hurt. To which Ramkrishna Thakur replied, I've asked you not to bite but you can always hiss at them. Your job is to remove the mask of those who plot against us and hiss at them. Learn to hiss at them."

In response to Mamata Banerjee's remarks, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala criticized her for equating the pursuit of justice with inciting unrest, accusing her of disrespecting protesters and doctors. He further asserted that under Mamata's leadership, no one in West Bengal is safe except criminals.  Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also condemned Banerjee, accusing her of trying to provoke the public to divert attention from her own failures. "Didi, how dare you threaten Assam? Don't show us bloodshot eyes. Don't try to set India on fire with your politics of failure," Sarma stated in a post on X.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh joined the bandwagon, demanding a public apology from Banerjee to the people of the Northeast and the rest of the country. 

For the unversed, the controversy stems from the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. Since then, junior doctors at state-run hospitals have been on strike, demanding justice for the victim and stronger security measures in hospitals.