Didn’t say a single word against junior doctors or their movements: Mamata

Kolkata: Clarifying her remarks at the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) foundation day rally on Wednesday, party supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that she did not say a single word against the junior doctors or their movements.

Banerjee alleged that a malicious disinformation campaign was unleashed against her over her speech on Wednesday. “I detect a malicious disinformation campaign in some print, electronic and digital media which has been unleashed with reference to a speech that I made in our students’ programme yesterday,” Banerjee said in a post on X.

During her speech on Wednesday, Banerjee said she had been very patient during the entire movement by the junior doctors against the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee (PGT) doctor.

She had urged the protesting doctors to return to work. The BJP had, however, alleged that Banerjee had threatened the agitating junior doctors with dire consequences. Banerjee on Thursday said she spoke against the BJP in her speech because they had been threatening democracy in Bengal.

“Let me most emphatically clarify that I have not uttered a single word against the (medical etc.) students or their movements. I totally support their movement. Their movement is genuine. I never threatened them, as some people are accusing me of doing. This allegation is completely false. I have spoken against the BJP. I have spoken against them because, with the support of the Government of India, they are threatening the democracy in our State and trying to create anarchy. With support from the Centre, they are trying to create lawlessness and I have raised my voice against them,” Banerjee said on her X handle.

During her address on Wednesday, Banerjee warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi that if the BJP tried to instigate trouble in Bengal, it would have consequences for other states.

Banerjee during her speech also said that sometimes it is necessary to raise a voice which was “misinterpreted” by some sections.

“I also clarify that the phrase ‘phonsh kara’ that I had used in my speech yesterday is a quote from Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa Deva. The legendary saint had said that occasionally there is a need to raise one’s voice. When there are crimes and criminal offences, a voice of protest has to be raised. My speech on that point was a direct allusion to the great Ramakrishnite saying,” Banerjee in her post on X further added.