Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 9 (ANI): A day after he announced to resign from the TMC and Rajya Sabha, Jawhar Sircar on Monday said the “crisis” in Bengal after the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College was one of the reasons for his decision.
He further argued that the transfer of former RG Kar’s principal, Sandip Ghosh, was a “reward” that started the “people’s movement.”
The postgraduate trainee doctor’s body was found in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital’s seminar hall on August 9, sparking protests in Kolkata and across the country.
He expressed his frustration at the lack of progress in tackling the state’s turmoil, prompting him to announce his resignation to draw “attention” as no one listens to requests in a political party.
“I had already said in the statement. There are so many reasons, one of them is the crisis that Bengal is dealing with. The crisis has to be dealt properly, which is not happening. One of the reasons for my resignation is that I’m a misfit in politics. The best way of calling attention was the way I did it. If I did not take a step like this and make a request, no one listens in the political party,” he told ANI.
Sircar criticised the state government over the handling of complaints against the principal of RG Kar College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh.
“If action could have been taken on the complaints against the principal from the first day itself and suspended the principal, they would have lost half their strength…It was a reward by sending him to one place, and that started the movement. The situation was badly handled,” he said.
“The party is still saying that this is a political battle, which is not completely wrong, but my concern is not your’s battle with the CPI (M) or BJP. My concern is, what do we do about the people’s movement? That’s a genuine movement. You can take people’s movements as a conspiracy against you. That’s not a correct attitude. There is a huge amount of public upsurge. And public upsurge because people in Bengal are super conscious of political rights,” he added.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Jawhar Sircar on Sunday wrote to West Bengal Chief Minister and party chief Mamata Banerjee, offering his resignation from the Rajya Sabha.
His decision comes in the wake of the recent rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, which has sparked nationwide outrage.
In his letter to West Bengal CM, Sircar expressed deep disappointment over the government’s handling of the situation and urged Mamata Banerjee to take decisive action to “save the state.”
“While thanking you sincerely for giving me such a great opportunity to represent the problems of West Bengal as an MP in the Rajya Sabha, I must inform you that I have decided to resign from parliament and also from politics altogether,” Sircar said in his resignation letter.
“I have suffered patiently for a month since the terrible incident at RG Kar Hospital, and was hoping for your direct intervention with the agitating junior doctors, in the old style of Mamata Banerjee,” the letter mentioned.
Sircar, who joined TMC in 2021, also highlighted his disillusionment with the state government’s response to corruption, particularly regarding the former education minister’s involvement in corruption.
“I shall go to Delhi soon and offer my resignation to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and will also disassociate myself totally from politics. Please do something to save the state, and my regards and best wishes are with you,” he added.
The body of the trainee doctor was found in the seminar room of the R G Kar hospital on August 9. The incident sparked nationwide protests. A civic volunteer was arrested shortly after. The CBI also arrested Dr Sandip Ghosh for alleged financial misconduct at the medical establishment. (ANI)