'Utsobey Firchi Na': Social media abuzz with rebellious posts after Mamata Banerjee urged people to return to festivity
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's remark urging people to celebrate the upcoming Durga Puja festival by leaving behind the protests over the rape and murder of a female doctor in state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has triggered a social media reaction of protests with many declaring to toe a different line.
Since the murder of the young doctor on Aug 9, Kolkata and West Bengal witnessed massive agitation with the effects spilling over in the rest of the country and beyond India with doctors and people from different walks of life taking out regular rallies to demand justice for the victim.
Following Banerjee's remark, several Facebook users were seen changing their display picture with a message that reads: "Utsobey firchi an (Won't return to the path of festival)."
Durga Puja, one of the biggest festivals in West Bengal, is just one month away and it is during this period when people in the city are usually seen shopping for the festival celebration.
However, this year the celebratory mood is missing as the city is witnessing demonstrations, night vigils touted as "Reclaim The Night" and rallies over the gruesome incident.
Banerjee, whose government has been facing the wrath of the citizens over the way the case was handled till it was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation, on Monday was quoted as saying by the media: "Protests have taken place for a month. Now I would request all protesters to get back to Durga Puja and festivities."
"I would appeal to the CBI to deliver justice soon," she added.
Following her remark, social media have been flooding with remarks criticising her comment.
One Facebook user Amitava Roy wrote: "Puja and demonstration will go side by side."
Another user named Indronil said: "Yes, this comment shows you want people to forget the incident."
Facebook user Indranil said: "It seems that you cannot bear the criticisms against you."
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has directed junior doctors, who are on ceasework protesting against the incident, to resume their services.
The advocate representing the junior doctors claimed the protesters are not confident to resume work over the threats they are still receiving.
Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said no action will be taken against the junior doctors if they resume work by 5 pm on Tuesday.
The CJI said the court will not be able to restrain the state government from taking action if the junior doctors continue with their protests.
The CJI said, "We can record that if doctors resume to work, no adverse action but if they do not resume work as doctors then we cannot restrain state govt from taking actions"
"In order to create a sense of confidence we state that in the event that doctors come to work by 5 PM tomorrow, not adverse actions.....if there is continuous abstention from work despite the facilities given there will be likelihood of action in future.
"We know what is happening on the ground, but doctors must now come back to work, they cannot say senior doctors are working so we will not work, we have put everyone on notice."
The State's counsel, advocate Kapil Sibal, claimed in the hearing that 23 patients have died due to the junior doctors' ceasework.
In the previous hearing held last month, the CJI had urged the junior doctors to resume work restraining the government from any action against them.
In the third hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that the CCTV footage which has been handed over was of only 27 minutes.
Advocate Kapil Sibal, who is representing the State, said the footage was handed over to the CBI in its entirety.
The Solicitor General said the victim's body was found in semi-naked state.
The victim's body had injury marks, said the Solicitor General.
IBNS
Senior Staff Reporter at Northeast Herald, covering news from Tripura and Northeast India.
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