BJP questioned whether the ruling Trinamool Congress in Bengal would fire Maitra or, like with former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh, defend her.
The Trinamool Congress on Tuesday warned Sonarpur Dakshin MLA Arundhuti Maitra, also known as Lovely Maitra to refrain from making further derogatory comments after her recent remarks about doctors protesting the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar College has created controversy.
The BJP shared a video of Maitra on X, where she referred to the protesting doctors as "butchers."
The Sonarpur Dakshin MLA in a video now viral on social media was heard saying, "Day by day, doctors are turning into butchers. What are they doing in the name of protest?"
She further spoke about how citizens are facing trouble to get medical attention due to protesting doctors, "The poorest of the poor who come from rural areas and cannot afford treatment at private hospitals are suffering due to a lack of medical care in government hospitals. They are not getting any treatment."
She continued to question the doctors and added, "Are these people humane? Are these people human? Doctors are turning into butchers."
The Bharatiya Janata Party slammed TMC for their leader's derogatory remarks towards doctors. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala shared the concerned video of Lovely Maitra's speech on social media and criticized her comments.
He questioned whether the ruling Trinamool Congress in Bengal would fire Maitra or, like with former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh, defend her.
“TMC MLA Lovely Maitra compares protesting Doctors to butchers. She also happens to be wife of an IPS in Kolkata Police who have been issuing notices and summons to doctors. Why so much hate against protesting doctors? Just because they are holding Mamata Govt and her police force accountable?” Poonwala wrote on his post on X.
After the video gained attention on social media, TMC MLA Lovely Maitra issued a clarification for her earlier comment.
According to News18, Maitra said, “Doctors are gods, poor people consider doctors as gods. But, the way they are protesting, I hope they’re not called anything other than doctors. Why are they going to Lalbazar, why not CBI? We want capital punishment too"
In another video shared by the BJP, MLA Lovely Maitra is seen claiming she knows how to 'lower' the fingers which meant deflecting criticism aimed at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
In yet another video from the same event, Maitra also issued a veiled threat to the opposition CPI(M), warning of revenge in 2024. A lawyer connected to the Left party has filed a complaint over her "revenge" comment.
This controversy arises amid ongoing tensions in West Bengal following over three weeks of protests related to the rape and murder of a trainee doctor on August 9.