Nationwide protests have erupted in response to the tragic incident of rape and murder of a female trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The Supreme Court has also reprimanded the Bengal government on this matter. Amidst all this, sharp differences have emerged openly between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (Didi) and her nephew, TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
These divisions bring to mind the times during the communist era in the state when leaders like Jyoti Basu and Promode Dasgupta openly clashed. It is known as the struggle between the state's administrative headquarters at Writers Building and the party headquarters on Alimuddin Street. Today, these internal conflicts are re-emerging between the government headquarters at Nabanna and Abhishek's office on Camac Street.
Abhishek Banerjee has chosen to distance himself from this high-profile case, demanding prompt action from the CBI and opting not to participate in Didi's rallies and marches. Close sources to Abhishek have highlighted several reasons for his discontent:
The immediate suspension of hospital superintendent Sandeep Ghosh wasn't executed.
Despite being removed, Ghosh was quickly transferred to a good position.
Abhishek believes Mamata, known for her clean image, hasn’t taken strong action against corrupt practices.
A group of doctors close to the CM is considered supporters of Ghosh. This group is under scrutiny for alleged corruption on social media, and Abhishek feels stern action is needed to maintain the party's image.
After the attack on August 14, Abhishek called the police commissioner for prompt action, highlighting his sense of urgency compared to Didi's relatively balanced response.
On the other hand, Didi explains her approach for several reasons:
She holds Abhishek’s close associate, former RS member Shantanu Sen, responsible for factionalism, whom she recently removed from the patient committee and party spokesperson role.
She questions Abhishek's lack of active participation during the crisis and suggests he should join rallies and show responsibility.
Even before the Supreme Court hearing, Didi is personally handling media-related matters as Abhishek Banerjee has left the responsibility of media to her. Despite the disagreements, she remains the leading face to navigate the crisis. Abhishek is scheduled to go to New York for eye surgery in mid-September, heightening the speculation further.
The female doctor's body was found in the auditorium of the hospital on the morning of August 9. A frequent visitor to the hospital premises was arrested in this case on August 10. Since this incident, medical services nationwide have been affected, with hundreds of doctors on strike under various organizations' banners, demanding medical staff safety.
