Mamata Banerjee debunks allegations of 'threat' to doctors agitating against Kolkata rape-murder

KOLKATA : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday asserted that she did not threaten junior doctors at state-run hospitals, who have been continuing ceasework for 21 days now to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a woman medic. Banerjee said that some people accused her of threatening the agitating junior doctors, which is "completely false".

"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," she said on X.

Addressing a rally organised by the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad, Banerjee had on Wednesday urged the agitating junior doctors of Bengal to urgently consider returning to duty and said she doesn't want to lodge FIRs against the striking doctors in consideration of their future careers. Agitating doctors interpreted the chief minister's remark as a "veiled threat" and rejected her appeal to join work.

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Banerjee also said, "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."