A fresh controversy has erupted in Kolkata after Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and actor-turned-politician Lovely Maitra made inflammatory remarks about junior doctors protesting at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. In a viral video that has yet to be independently verified, Maitra likened the protesting doctors to “butchers,” sparking outrage and political backlash.
Maitra’s comments came during a speech at a party event, where she criticized the junior doctors for their ongoing protest following the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the hospital. “Doctors are turning into butchers… in the name of protests. The poor and underprivileged people who come from interior parts, rural areas of Bengal seeking medical treatment at government hospitals… those who cannot afford treatment at private hospitals, they are suffering. They are not being treated… are they (doctors) human? Is this humane?” Maitra reportedly said in Bangla.
National BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla condemned Maitra’s comments, questioning why she was displaying such animosity towards the protesting doctors who are demanding justice for their colleague. “Why so much hate against protesting doctors?” Poonawalla wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
In her speech, Maitra also made controversial remarks regarding “revenge” against critics of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. “In 2011, we said no revenge but change; now we are saying that in 2024 there will be revenge… we know how to deal with those who point a finger at Mamata Banerjee. We are not weak,” she said.
Following the backlash, Maitra issued a clarification at a press conference, stating that she did not intend to insult doctors and expressed hope that they wouldn’t be called anything other than doctors. “Doctors are gods, poor people consider doctors as gods. But, the way they are protesting, I hope they’re not called anything other than doctors. Why are they going to Lalbazar, why not CBI? We want capital punishment too,” she said.
The controversy escalated further when a lawyer associated with the Left filed a complaint against Maitra at Sonarpur police station, citing her “revenge” comments as inflammatory and potentially inciting violence.
Sources within the TMC have indicated that Maitra has been instructed by the party leadership to refrain from making similar statements in the future. However, the damage seems to have been done, with the opposition seizing the opportunity to criticize the TMC. Poonawalla highlighted this incident as part of a pattern of controversial statements by TMC leaders aimed at suppressing dissent against the government and police.
Poonawalla also pointed out that Maitra is the wife of an IPS officer in the Kolkata Police, who has been issuing notices and summons to doctors involved in the protest. “Udayan Guha, Arup Chakraborty, Kunal Ghosh, now Lovely Maitra! Will TMC sack her or defend her like it defended Dr. Sandip Ghose?” he asked, drawing attention to previous controversies involving TMC leaders.
The junior doctors continue their sit-in near the Kolkata Police headquarters in Lalbazar, demanding the resignation of senior police officer Vineet Kumar Goyal and justice for their deceased colleague. As the protests persist, the TMC faces mounting pressure to address the grievances of the medical community and manage the fallout from Maitra’s remarks.
