West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's recent allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left have sparked controversy, with her claiming that these groups have formed an unlikely alliance, dubbed "Ram and Bam," to instigate chaos in West Bengal. However, these accusations seem to shift focus from the state's own issues with governance and public safety.

"Left and Ram want to create unrest in Bengal and they both have come together to do this," Banerjee stated, pointing to the violent incident at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata. This comment raises questions about the effectiveness of her administration in maintaining order and preempting such disruptions.

Banerjee asserted that the perpetrators were not students but politically motivated agents from the BJP. This distinction she makes appears to be an attempt to deflect from systemic issues within her governance that might be contributing to such unrest.

“The people who vandalised RG Kar Hospital yesterday and created this ruckus are not connected to the student movement of RG Kar Medical College; they are outsiders. I have seen as many videos, I have three videos as I can see, in which some people are holding national flags, they are BJP people, and some are DYFI are holding white and red flags,” Banerjee elaborated.

Her reliance on video evidence to identify political affiliations amidst chaos not only underscores a reactive approach to crisis management but also highlights a deeper problem of polarization under her rule.

On Wednesday night, chaos erupted at the RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata as a mob invaded the campus, wreaking havoc on the protest site, vehicles, and other public property. This forced the intervention of security officials who worked to disperse the unruly crowd.

In response to the incident, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee commended the police for their measured response, despite the challenges they faced. “Yesterday, police were attacked; among them was one Deputy Commissioner (DC) who was there for security purposes, and two Officer-in-charges (OCs). For one hour, they couldn’t be found, and when they were found, they were unconscious and were seen blood oozing out from their heads. I informed the police at 3 am and had them taken to Apollo Hospital… I would like to congratulate them that they did not lose patience, they did not hurt anyone,” Banerjee recounted the ordeal faced by the police.

She further clarified the ongoing legal proceedings, noting, “Now the case is not in our hands, it is in the hands of CBI, if you have something to say, then tell CBI, we have no objection…,” thereby directing any inquiries or concerns to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Amidst these events, the Chief Minister also addressed another grave issue, the RK Kar rape and murder case, emphasizing the severity of the crime. “This is a very big crime, and the only punishment for it is that the accused should be hung, if the culprit is hanged then only people will learn a lesson from it but no innocent should be punished,” she stated, advocating for the death penalty as a deterrent yet stressing the importance of ensuring that justice is accurately served.

The gravity of the situation was underscored by a tragic discovery on August 9, when a post-graduate trainee doctor was found deceased in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The victim's family alleges that she was both raped and murdered, sparking widespread protests across the country by doctors and medical professionals demanding justice and safer working conditions.

Deploy Central Forces at RG Kar Hospital: BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari asks Union Home Secretary after violent mob ran riot at the hospital

On Thursday, August 15, Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition in West Bengal from the BJP, made a formal request to the Union Home Secretary, urging the deployment of central forces at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata. This hospital was recently the scene of a heinous crime where a young doctor was brutally raped and murdered. The call for central forces by Adhikari came in the wake of a mob attack that not only vandalized the hospital premises but also severely disrupted ongoing protests demanding justice for the deceased doctor.

In his communication to Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Adhikari accused the goons allegedly sent by the ruling Trinamool Congress government of attacking the hospital in an attempt to obliterate evidence linked to the rape and murder incident of the previous week. He raised serious concerns about the integrity of the ongoing investigation and the safety of the doctors who have been actively protesting.

Taking his grievances to social media, Suvendu Adhikari stated on X (formerly Twitter), “The WB Govt & @KolkataPolice have turned RG Kar Medical College and Hospital into a stinky quagmire by firstly allowing culprits to establish their fiefdom of crime and now allowing TMC goons to stomp upon the whole premises to destroy evidence.”

He also highlighted the alarming actions of the mob, noting, “Such was their perversity that the unruly mob tried to break into the Girls’ Hostel at midnight when the Policemen took refuge inside the toilets.”

Adhikari elaborated on his actions further, stating, “I have written to the Hon’ble Home Secretary; Ministry of Home Affairs; Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Hon’ble Director, Central Bureau of Investigation, regarding the vandalism that took place at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital and requested them to deploy Central Armed Paramilitary Forces to prevent further destruction of evidence at R G Kar.” Through these steps, Adhikari aims to safeguard the premises and ensure a thorough and unimpeded continuation of the investigation.

‘Your safety is your responsibility’: Cops tell nursing staff after mob attacks RG Kar Hospital, take shelter in bathrooms instead of stopping vandalism

In the aftermath of a severe mob attack on the premises of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, the nursing staff revealed shocking details about the police response during the crisis on Thursday, 15th August. Instead of confronting the assailants, the police reportedly sought refuge, choosing to hide rather than halt the ongoing destruction.

A nurse, clad in a white apron, recounted the incident to ABP Ananda, expressing her disbelief at the police's actions: “Emon o hoyeche je unnara bathroom e dhuke boleche je amader lokanor jaiga din (It has happened that the cops entered the bathroom and asked us to provide space to hide).”

Further detailing the situation, she added, “Amader ward e eshe bolche amder lokanor jaiga din (They came to our ward and told us to provide a hideout),” confirming that the police actively sought hiding spots within the hospital facilities instead of addressing the vandalism.

The nursing staff was notably distressed by the police advising them that their safety was their own responsibility, a statement that left many feeling abandoned and vulnerable during the attack.

“Amra jokhon akhon bolchi authority ke emon obostha keno holo, tokhon authority amader bolche – tomader safety tomader haathe (Now when we asked authorities why this happened, they told us that our safety was our responsibility),” the nurse lamented, highlighting a grave concern over the lack of adequate protection provided by those supposed to enforce the law and ensure safety.

Mob attack on RG Kar Medical College and Hospital

The night of August 14th to 15th witnessed severe unrest at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, where a mob of approximately 50 men took aggressive action against the hospital’s infrastructure and its personnel. This assault targeted the doctors who were assembling to demand justice for a heinous crime involving the rape and murder of a female trainee doctor at the same facility.

Videos that surfaced on social media vividly captured the chaos, displaying how the mob vandalized hospital facilities, attacked police vehicles, and directly assaulted the doctors who were present. The incident, which occurred shortly after a civic movement called ‘reclaim the night’ was initiated in West Bengal to enhance safety in public spaces for women, starkly contrasted the movement's peaceable aims.

Despite significant police presence, the mob's actions were unabated, including stone pelting, which visibly escalated the gravity of the situation.

On the same night, further reports noted that the mob, initially positioned outside the hospital, abruptly stormed into the premises. They forcefully entered the emergency ward, where they wreaked havoc on the furniture and medical supplies.

The protesting doctors noted that the chaos persisted for about an hour, causing substantial disruption and fear among the hospital staff and patients. Amidst this turmoil, Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal pointed out the role of online media and social media platforms in potentially spurring the mob, suggesting that the attack might have been fueled by provocative online narratives. This accusation indicates a complex interplay of on-ground and digital dynamics contributing to the violence at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.