'Mamata Banerjee trying to divert attention, should resign': Nirbhaya's mother on RG Kar rape-murder

The 31-year-old postgraduate doctor was brutally raped and murdered while on duty at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

Medical professionals nationwide, including her colleagues, have been protesting to demand justice.

In an interview with PTI, Asha Devi criticized Mamata Banerjee for "attempting to divert public attention" by staging protests.

The Trinamool Congress supremo had recently led a march advocating for the death penalty for those responsible for the crime.

"Instead of using her authority to take action against the culprits, Mamata Banerjee is trying to mislead the public," Asha Devi was quoted as saying by PTI.

"She herself is a woman. She should have taken strict action against the culprits while discharging her responsibility as the head of the state. She should resign because she has failed to handle the situation," she added.

Asha Devi asserted that unless both central and state governments take sincere measures to ensure swift punishment for rapists through the courts, such horrific acts of violence will continue across the country every day.

"When girls are not safe in Kolkata's medical college and such barbarity is committed against them, then one can understand the state of women's safety in the country," she told PTI.

Asha Devi told the news agency ANI that nothing has changed regarding women's safety.

"A lot has changed in the last 12-13 years, but what remains unchanged are the incidents of rape. I don't believe anything meaningful has been done to ensure that rape victims receive justice. Laws were enacted, fast-track courts were established, but they have not been effectively used. Brutal sexual crimes occurred before and after Nirbhaya's rapists were hanged in 2020. Until governments ensure swift trials and prompt punishment for rapists, such brutalities against women will continue to happen every day."

Meanwhile, the Centre has directed all states to submit reports on law and order conditions every two hours amid the nationwide protests sparked by the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata.

According to the notification, the Ministry of Home Affairs has instructed all state police forces across the country to submit reports every two hours through email, fax, or even WhatsApp.

"Regarding two hourly law and order situation reports. The competent authority has desired to monitor the law and order situation report of your state/UT against the murder of a trainee woman doctor in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal. Henceforth, a continuous two-hourly law and order situation report in this regard may kindly be sent to the MHA control room by fax/e-mail/WhatsApp from 4 pm today (16/08/24), the MHA reportedly said.