West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday led a protest rally from Moulali to Dorina crossing in Kolkata, demanding justice for a woman doctor, who was allegedly raped and murdered at RG Kar College and Hospital last week.

Leading a rally in Kolkata, the TMC supremo accompanied by party workers demanded capital punishment for the accused of the rape and murder of the junior postgraduate trainee doctor.  

Addressing the gathering, the West Bengal Chief Minister accused CPM and BJP of vandalising RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. She said they went there between 12 and 1 am in the early morning, the video shows that CPM took the DYFI flag and BJP took the national flag.

She also alleged that they have misused the national flag, and they should be punished. How many teams did BJP and CPM send when the incident happened in Manipur, she asked? How many teams were sent to Hathras, Unnao, she further asked. The TMC supremo said that CPM and BJP should not threaten her as if she has not been elected by the people of the State.

Speaking to a reporter on the mob attack at RG Kar Hospital, Additional CP Murlidhar Sharma said so far, they have arrested 25 people in this case. The interrogation in this is underway and today they will produce some people in the Court.

During the interrogation, the officer said, that most of these people said that they came here on their own, but its verification is still ongoing, and if there is any conspiracy or some people behind this, for this police need to do sustained interrogation.

He further reiterated the Commissioner’s statement that a while ago crowd had gathered at more than 50 places in the city and this movement was done through social media. The protests were conducted peacefully at 49 places in the city, he added.

On being asked if the mob destroyed evidence, he said the mob did not go up to the fourth floor where the PO is. They damaged a large part of the ground floor and the emergency ward and some people went to the first floor, added. It took time for the police force to reassemble and after reassembling, the force chased them away, he said.

Meanwhile, West Bengal BJP President and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar said the State police have been told that as long as BJP workers are here, they will not arrest any woman. He said his party workers will not let any woman be harmed.  Atrocities against women must stop, he added.

Banerjee does not need permission for a rally but when the BJP goes to do something then permission is needed, all the rules are only for the BJP, he said. Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal should immediately resign from his post, he demanded. Such a person cannot be the Kolkata Police Commissioner, he should take responsibility for this incident and resign, he added.

Indian Medical Association today demanded central law and to declare the hospitals as safe zones with mandatory security entitlements. IMA has declared 24-hour withdrawal of services by all the modern medicine doctors of the country irrespective of the sector and place of work.

Emergencies and casualties will function. No OPDs. No elective surgeries. The withdrawal commences at 6 am on Saturday 17th August 2024 and ends at 6 am on Sunday 18th August 2024, the IMA release said.

Reacting to the announcement of dates for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election by the Election Commission of India, the National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Friday said it came late but better than never.

Speaking to reporters, Abdullah said that after 1987-1988, this would be the first time when the elections in J&K will be conducted in such a small number of phases. He said the National Conference (NC) was ready for this day and with this announcement, his party will kick off the election campaign soon.

On the transfer of several officers in Union Territory,  Abdullah asserted that his party is writing to the Election Commission of India that they should investigate the transfers that happened in J&K in the last 24 hours.

He suspected these transfers and said it could be done to benefit the B and C teams of BJP by the LG which has been put here by the BJP. In the last 1-2 years, the security of some leaders has been reduced and withdrawn, he claimed. “We request the ECI to give orders and ensure that their security is restored”, the NC leader asserted.

The National Conference president Farooq Abdullah appealed to ECI to give level playing fields. Especially the officers who were changed. The ECI should look into this matter and on what basis were they transferred, he emphasised.

On the J&K Assembly elections date announcement, Farooq Abdullah said he would contest these elections, but Omar Abdullah would not contest the elections. When the state status is granted then he will step down and Omar Abdullah will contest from that seat, the NC president added while speaking to reporters.”

“We want statehood, not only NC but all the parties of J&K want it. It is the Government of India’s promise that there will be complete statehood’, he added.

Chairman of Democratic Progressive Azad Party Ghulam Nabi Azad, after the announcement of dates for J&K Assembly elections, welcomed the announcement of elections. He thanked the government and Election Commission.

He hoped it would be a free and fair election and also hoped the security of voters, candidates, and party leaders would be taken care of. Right now what is important is that people are getting a chance to elect their representative after nearly 10 years, Azad added.

BJP in-charge of Jammu & Kashmir, Tarun Chugh, said the announcement of dates of the Assembly elections in J&K and Haryana is worth welcoming. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Jammu and Kashmir has become free of Article 370.

He said that the people have faith in PM Modi and J&K is moving forward, adding that BJP will fight elections in J&K, people have immense faith in PM Modi and BJP will get the blessings of the public.

The Election Commission of India on Friday announced the schedules for the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, and Haryana. The Union Territory will witness Assembly elections in three phases starting on September 18, the second phase on September 25, and the third on October 1; while Haryana will vote in a single phase on October 1. The counting of votes for the Assembly elections in both Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana will be held on October 4.

Addressing a press conference, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said that there are a total of 90 Assembly constituencies in the Union Territory, of which 74 are general, Scheduled Castes are 7, and Scheduled Tribes are 9.

During his address, Kumar informed that there will be a total of 87.09 lakh voters in Jammu and Kashmir, out of which 44.46 lakh are males, 42.62 lakh are females, 3.71 lakh are first-time voters and 20.7 lakh are young voters. The Amarnath Yatra will end on August 19 and the final voter list will also be published on August 20, he added.

The Chief Election Commissioner stated that there are a total of 90 Assembly constituencies in Haryana, out of which 73 are general, 17 to SCs, and none are STs. He emphasised that there will be a total of 2.01 crore voters in Haryana, of which 1.06 crore are males, 0.95 crore are females, 4.52 lakhs are first-time voters and 40.95 lakhs are young voters. The electoral roll of Haryana will be published on 27th August 2024, he added.

In his address on the announcement of dates for Assembly elections, Kumar noted that the 2024 Lok Sabha polls were the biggest election process at the world level and were completed successfully and peacefully.

It created a very strongly democratic surface for the entire democratic world, it was peaceful without any violence and the whole country celebrated the festival of elections, he said. “We also made many records. For the first time, maximum polling took place in the world”, the chief election commissioner asserted.

On their recent visit to Jammu & Kashmir and Haryana, Kumar said great enthusiasm was seen among the people and they wanted to participate in the election process. People want elections to be conducted there as early as possible, Kumar said.

The most heartening was the visuals of long queues of young, old, women voters waiting patiently to exercise their franchise during the Lok Sabha elections are proof that people not only want change but also want to raise their voices by becoming a part of that change, Kumar added.

The Chief Election Commissioner further added that this glimpse of hope and democracy shows that the people want to change the picture and want to write their own destiny. The people of Jammu and Kashmir chose ballot over bullet in Lok Sabha elections, he said.

On being asked about Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Kumar said last time, Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly elections were held together. At that time, J&K was not a factor but this time there were 4 elections this year, and 5th election immediately after this, which is to start with J&K, Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Delhi, he added.

Depending on the requirement of forces, ECI has decided to conduct 2 elections together. The other factor is that there was heavy rainfall in Maharashtra and there are several festivals lined up too, the CEC added.