RG Kar victim’s mother set to enter Bengal polls as BJP candidate

Speaking to reporters, the victim’s mother said she has decided to enter the electoral fray on a BJP ticket after initially declining the party’s offer.

“I have decided to become a candidate for the BJP. I was approached earlier but did not agree at the time. Later, I reached out to the party as we felt that only this party has the potential to come to power,” she said.

She added that her decision was also driven by her desire to challenge the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).

“I want to uproot the TMC government, which, in my view, has failed people amid concerns over women’s safety, corruption, and the condition of the healthcare sector,” she said.

The victim’s mother further stated that she and her husband felt compelled to join the system to seek justice.

“With the courtroom route becoming increasingly challenging, we felt the need to actively join the system to ensure justice,” she said.

She also accused Left parties of using the RG Kar case as a “political tool” and alleged that they were indirectly aiding the TMC by dividing votes.

The case pertains to the brutal rape and murder of a young woman doctor inside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata in August 2024, which triggered nationwide outrage. The incident raised serious concerns over women’s safety, hospital security, and institutional accountability.

Allegations of evidence tampering and initial lapses in the investigation intensified public anger, leading to widespread protests by doctors, medical students, and civil society groups across Kolkata and other parts of India. Junior doctors went on strike, disrupting healthcare services in several government hospitals, while demonstrations, candlelight marches, and sit-ins continued for weeks.

Civic volunteer Sanjoy Roy, the prime accused in the case, was arrested soon after the incident. However, protesters maintained that he was not the sole perpetrator and demanded a wider probe.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which took over the case following a court order, did not name any additional accused. A Kolkata court later sentenced Roy to life imprisonment till death and imposed a fine of Rs. 50,000.

Roy has challenged his conviction in the Calcutta High Court, claiming he was falsely implicated, while both the CBI and the West Bengal government have sought the death penalty in the case.