After the BJP fielded Ratna Debnath, mother of the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder victim to contest the Assembly elections, a major political row has erupted in West Bengal politics. After over one-and-half years of the brutal incident in Kolkata’s state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the major issue that had largely subsided has re-emerged in the State’s political and social arena.
public opinion
The matter has literally divided public opinion after Debnath decided to fight elections as a BJP candidate, with a section supporting her to turn her grief into a political battle, while others criticised her decision to politicise a movement that was mostly apolitical in nature.
Bengal witnessed waves of mass protests, involving various apolitical groups and citizens’ forums, demanding justice for the victim and severe punishment for everyone involved in the heinous crime. The body of the on-duty woman doctor was found in the hospital on August 9, 2024. After fielding Ratna Debnath from the Panihati constituency in North 24 Parganas district, the BJP said this is not just a candidature, it is a fight for justice.
“Let us not forget how the Mamata Banerjee government handled this horrific crime. From attempts to suppress the truth, erasing evidence, mishandling the autopsy, hurried cremation, failure to preserve samples for further forensic examination to tampering with the crime scene, serious questions were raised at every step,” said BJP leader Amit Malviya on social media platform X on Thursday.
“The people of West Bengal deserve accountability. They deserve a government that stands with victims, not one that appears to shield wrongdoing,” Malviya added. Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition, met the Debnath family with party workers. The parents of the deceased doctor said their decision to align with the saffron party for the upcoming Assembly elections was driven by their continued fight for justice. And, they believe only the BJP can ensure justice for their daughter and provide safety and security to the women of the State.
Debnath will contest against Kalatan Dasgupta, the CPI-M candidate in the constituency, considered a Trinamool stronghold. Dasgupta was among the young Turks of the Left party, which was involved in the mass protests that followed the brutal incident. A political controversy erupted when the murdered doctor’s parents criticised the CPM-led Left, accusing it of benefiting politically from their daughter’s death and helping the Trinamool Congress remain in power.
“The Left fought for justice and to ensure safe nights and safe days for women in Bengal. And Rightists (BJP) have used the incident for their political benefit,” CPI-M State Secretary MD Salim told businessline.
“Now, it became a political battle, perpetrator of the crime on one side along with those who wanted to put it under carpet and never allowed a proper investigation, and on the other side, millions of people, including women, not seeing the cast, creed, language or identity of the victim. This was universal and the whole movement was Left-oriented,” said Salim, adding that in West Bengal a united Left resurgence started with such movements.
Tilottama Majumdar, a renowned Bengali author, observed that the victim’s mother has every right to turn her grief into a political battle to ensure justice for her young daughter. “Nobody in this world has gone through more pain than her. It is her right to fight an election and in today’s Bengal she could opt only for BJP, the main Opposition party,” said Majumdar.
“The BJP was trying to capitalise from the mass movement that Bengal saw after this gruesome incident. They were not able to. But, now they can. But, I don’t think this matter is now becoming a major political issue,” said political analyst Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury.
Published on March 26, 2026
