"Most shameful statement": Shehzad Poonawalla slams farmer leader Rakesh Tikait over his remarks on Kolkata rape, murder case

New Delhi [India], August 21 : Coming down heavily on farmer leader Rakesh Tikait over his reported statement on the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder incident, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said that "this is the most shameful statement."
Tikait reportedly alleged that the Kolkata rape and murder incident is being used as part of a wider conspiracy to defame the West Bengal government.
"This is the most shameful statement that somebody like Rakesh Tikait could make and that too after Rahul Gandhi says that the entire RG Kar Medical College rape and murder is a distraction. He said it is a conspiracy against the government of Mamata Banerjee, that it is propaganda being done for the last 10 days," Poonawalla said.
"I want to ask Tikait and his benefactors and patronisers in the INDI Alliance: Is the Supreme Court intervention also propaganda and conspiracy? The Supreme Court slammed the Mamata Banerjee government and indicated how there was an institutional cover-up of evidence. Is the Supreme Court involved in propaganda? Is the High Court, which transferred the probe to the CBI, involved in propaganda and conspiracy?" the BJP leader added.
Hitting out at the West Bengal government, Poonawalla said that there has been a dictatorial attitude, silencing the voices of doctors and protestors.
"Please tell us, are the parents who are demanding justice and saying that Mamata Banerjee is not ensuring justice part of propaganda and conspiracy? But why will INDI alliance leaders say anything? Rahul Gandhi calls it a distraction, Akhilesh Yadav - when his own leaders are charged with rape, and say that the girl should undergo the Narco test, all of them are indulging in a conspiracy of silence," he said.
"Evidence is being destroyed from day 1. There has been a dictatorial attitude of the government, silencing the voices of doctors and protestors but none of those who are saying 'Samvidhan Bachao' have come out and said a word, for the last 5 days you have seen a lot of rape cases in Mamata Banerjee's Bengal. Attacks on nurses and doctors continue unabated but nobody is willing to open their mouth. In fact, they are defending Mamata Banerjee, who is not even stepping down, by saying it is a conspiracy, propaganda and distraction. Perhaps now the INDI alliance should open its mouth and tell us what they think about Rahul Gandhi's statement and Rakesh Tikait's statement," the BJP leader added.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday constituted a 10-member National Task Force to make recommendations on the prevention of violence and safe working conditions for medical professionals. The task force includes Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, among others.
Days after the rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata sparked nationwide protests, the apex court suo motu took up the case and directed the task force to submit an interim report within three weeks and a final report within two months.
The court said the Task Force would also prepare an action plan to prevent gender-based violence and ensure a dignified working space for interns, residents, and non-resident doctors.
The top court also asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a status report on the status of the investigation in the rape case. The court asked the West Bengal government to file a status report on the mob attack incident in the RG Kar hospital on August 15.
On August 9, a postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, sparking nationwide strikes and protests by the medical community.