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'Why didn't she save my daughter?': Mother of RG Kar rape-murder victim enters West Bengal election fray, vows to defeat Mamata Banerjee

'Why didn't she save my daughter?': Mother of RG Kar rape-murder victim enters West Bengal election fray, vows to defeat Mamata Banerjee

File Photo: Art depicting 'Justice for RG Kar' painted on the road during the Junior doctors' protest against the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case, at Kolkata Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. Photograph: (ANI)

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Ratna Debnath, mother of the RG Kar rape-murder victim, has entered the election race, taking on Mamata Banerjee and vowing justice for her daughter. “I'll take an oath until my daughter gets justice - I won't comb my hair,” she said.

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Ratna Debnath, the mother of the doctor killed at RG Kar Medical College, has entered the West Bengal assembly election as a BJP candidate, naming Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as her primary opponent and vowing not to comb her hair until her daughter receives justice. Debnath said she will file her nomination soon. West Bengal's 294-seat assembly will go to the polls in two phases. The first phase, covering 152 constituencies, is scheduled for April 23. The second phase, covering the remaining 142 constituencies, follows on April 29. Vote counting is set for May 4.

Why didn't Mamata Banerjee save my daughter?

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Channelling nearly eight months of grief and anger into a direct electoral challenge against the woman she holds responsible for what happened to her daughter, Debnath announced "My main enemy is Mamata Banerjee because she's the Health Minister, and my daughter worked for the Health Department".

"Why didn't Mamata Banerjee save my daughter?" she questioned. "I'll take an oath until my daughter gets justice - I won't comb my hair. I'll file the nomination tomorrow. People are supporting me and want to see Mamata Banerjee defeated," said Debnath," she added.

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RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case

On August 9, 2024, a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor was found raped and murdered inside a seminar room at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The crime triggered an enormous wave of protests across India, with demonstrations in the medical community drawing particular attention as doctors and students took to the streets demanding accountability.

The Calcutta High Court, dissatisfied with the Kolkata Police's handling of the investigation, transferred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The CBI has since made multiple arrests, though the case continues to move through the courts.

Mamata Banerjee, who holds the health portfolio in addition to the chief ministership, faced sustained criticism over the state government's initial response to the incident, including allegations of evidence tampering and delayed action that the administration has denied.

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Moohita Kaur Garg

Moohita Kaur Garg is a senior sub-editor at WION with over four years of experience covering the volatile intersections of geopolitics and global security. From reporting on global...Read More