‘Don’t Distract Me’: Rahul Gandhi Declines Comment On Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder; BJP Reacts

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday refused to comment on the Supreme Court’s request to doctors to end their strike condemning the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital and seeking protection, saying “don’t distract me”.

Rahul Gandhi said, “I am here for a Dalit incident. I have already made my statement on the Kolkata case. I don’t want to get distracted here. I am here to raise their (Dalit’s) concerns.”

Terming the rape and murder case of a medic at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital as horrific, the Supreme Court on Tuesday came down heavily on the West Bengal government over the delay in filing FIR in the matter.

Taking suo motu cognisance of the case, the top court said this incident raises systematic issue regarding safety of doctors across India.

A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, which had taken cognisance of the incident, said if women are not able to go to work and working conditions are not safe, we are denying them equality.

BJP reacts

Rahul’s comment prompted a quick and sharp response from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The party’s national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla asked if “nyay (justice) for beti was a distraction”.

He took to X and wrote, “When asked about RG Kar medical case & SC slamming Bengal govt & police Rahul Gandhi shamelessly says “I won’t be distracted” Is Nyay for Beti a distraction? Those who speak about Sanvidhan, about Ladki hoon lad sakti hoon & visit victims homes in UP call a grave injustice “distraction” because it happened in Bengal This is an insult of the victim & of all women”

Doctor’s demands

The doctors’ strike over the rape and murder of the medic completed a week on Sunday and is now entering its second week, causing difficulties for patients.

The protesting doctors want the CBI to catch the culprits and for the court to impose the maximum punishment on them. They also want an assurance from the government that “no such incidents occur in the future”.