“I never threatened them…”: Mamata Banerjee Clarifies Speech, Denies “Threatening” Protesting Doctors, Accuses BJP of Running “Malicious Disinformation Campaign"

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday issued a clarification in response to accusations that she had threatened medical students protesting against the brutal rape and murder of an on-duty PGT doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Banerjee alleged that a "malicious disinformation campaign" had been launched against her following her speech at the TMC student’s day programme on Wednesday.

"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,” said Mamata Banerjee in a detailed post on X.

She emphasized that her remarks were aimed at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rather than the medical students. Banerjee explained, "I have spoken against the BJP because, with the support of the Government of India, they are threatening 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."

The Trinamool Congress Supremo clarified that Banerjee her use of the phrase “phonsh kora.” “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, the voice of protest has to be raised. My speech on that point was a direct allusion to the great Ramakrishnite saying,” said Banerjee.

The controversy emerged after Mamata Banerjee addressed a Trinamool Congress student wing event, where she urged doctors involved in the protests to gradually return to work. The protests had been triggered by the August 9 incident at RG Kar Medical College, where a doctor was raped and murdered. While doctors across the country have resumed their duties following a Supreme Court directive to enhance safety measures, protests in Kolkata have continued.

During her speech, the Trinamool Congress Supremo said, "We did not act against you after you protested because I understand you are upset. But please join work gradually. Supreme Court has said that the state government can now take action. I don’t want to take action because I want them to study properly. If I get an FIR registered, their future will be destroyed, they won’t get a chance anywhere, they won’t get passports and visas. If I take legal action, their lives will be destroyed. I don’t want that, our government has a human outlook, we want to create more doctors with this human outlook." Banerjee also questioned the progress of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the case, noting that 16 days had passed since the agency took over the investigation from the Kolkata Police.

The BJP’s Sudhanshu Trivedi had accused Banerjee of threatening doctors through her speech, alleging that her comments amounted to “threatening doctors with word play.” “After misleading the probe, destroying evidence and shielding the accused, a new strategy to threaten doctors has emerged. Heed the Chief Minister’s words. She says she doesn’t want to register FIRs (against doctors) so that careers are not destroyed. Mamata Banerjee has threatened doctors with word play,” said Trivedi. BJP state chief and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar had condemned Banerjee’s remarks as incitement, claiming they represented a “blatant endorsement of revenge politics from the highest office in the state.”