TMC leader Lovely Maitra's ‘butcher’ remarks on protesting doctors in Kolkata triggers row

TMC's Lovely Maitra issues a clarification after her comments sparked a huge controversy.

Published on: Sep 3, 2024, 13:11:08 IST

By HT News Desk

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hit out at Trinamool Congress leader Lovely Maitra for her alleged comments comparing junior doctors protesting the alleged rape and murder of a female medic inside a medical college in Kolkata to “butchers”.

Trinamool Congress leader Lovely Maitra alleged that protesting junior doctors were no longer interested in doing their job. (@LovelyMaitra)

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala posted a video of Lovely Maitra's speech on his social media and condemned her remarks. He asked whether the ruling Trinamool Congress in Bengal would sack the leader or allegedly defend her like former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh.

Also read | Kolkata doctor's rape-murder: Bengal to table anti-rape bill today. What are provisions?

“TMC MLA Lovely Maitra compares protesting Doctors to butchers. She also happens to be wife of an IPS in Kolkata Police who have been issuing notices and summons to doctors. Why so much hate against protesting doctors? Just because they are holding Mamata Govt and her police force accountable?” Poonwala wrote.

The TMC leader purportedly made these remarks while speaking at a party programme recently. “Doctors are turning into butchers in the name of protests. The poor and underprivileged people who come from interior parts, rural areas of Bengal seeking medical treatment at government hospitals. Those who cannot afford treatment at private hospitals, they are suffering. They are not being treated. Are they (doctors) human? Is this humane?” she purportedly said in Bangla.

Also read | Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: BJP MP faces ‘Go Back’ slogan; TMC says 'hijack' politics exposed

In another video from the same event, she can be heard issuing a veiled threat to the CPI(M) in West Bengal, warning the party of revenge in 2024. A lawyer aligned with the Left party has lodged a complaint against her for her “revenge” comment.

TMC leader clarifies

As her comment quickly erupted into a controversy, Maitra was forced to issue a clarification for her comment. “Doctors are gods, poor people consider doctors as gods. But, the way they are protesting, I hope they’re not called anything other than doctors. Why are they going to Lalbazar, why not CBI? We want capital punishment too", News18 quoted her as saying.

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HT News Desk
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