'Mamata Banerjee is trying to give it a religious and political color': Mayawati asks opposition to 'rise above politics' on Kolkata doctor's rape case

BSP supremo Mayawati on Saturday took potshots at the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government for the way they handled the Kolkata doctor's rape and murder case.

The former Uttar Pradesh CM further accused the TMC government of giving the incident a religious and political color.

"In its defense, the TMC government is trying to give the incident a religious and political color; the opposition is no different on this front. It is important to worry about how the culprits will get strict punishment and the victim's family, justice,' Mayawati wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Mayawati expressed her support for the protests by doctors and medical students, emphasizing the need to maintain patient care while calling for improved safety measures in hospitals.

Doctors in Punjab and Haryana held protests on Saturday, demanding better safety for healthcare professionals after the alleged rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor at a Kolkata hospital. Outpatient services were halted, and elective surgeries were not performed, although emergency services continued as usual.

The protests significantly disrupted healthcare services, with many patients unable to find doctors for consultations. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had called for a nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency services for 24 hours, starting at 6 am on Saturday, in response to the incident at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata and the vandalism that followed.

A 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9th. Following the incident, students from her college and doctors across the country have been protesting to demand justice for the victim.