'Never threatened ... ': Bengal CM Mamata clarifies remarks made during TMCP rally

NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday clarified her recent remarks at the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) foundation day and said that she did not say a single word against the medical students or their movements.
"I detect a malicious disinformation campaign in some print, electronic and digital media which has been unleashed with reference to a speech that I made in our students' programme yesterday," Mamata said in a post on X.
"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," she added.

However, Mamata stated that she was only speaking against the BJP-led Centre, accusing the government of "threatening the democracy."
"I have spoken against BJP. I have spoken against them because, with the support of the government of India, they are threatening the democracy in our State and trying to create anarchy. With support from Centre, they are trying to create lawlessness and I have raised my voice against them," she said.
The TMC supremo further said: "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 need to raise one's voice. When there are crimes and criminal offences, voice of protest has to be raised. My speech on that point was a direct allusion to the great Ramakrishnite saying."

The controversy stemmed from Mamata's address at the TMCP foundation day rally, where she accused the BJP of conspiring to defame West Bengal and derail the investigation into a recent rape-murder incident in Kolkata. During her address, Mamata warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tried to instigate trouble in Bengal, it would have consequences for other states, stating, "If you burn Bengal, Assam, North-East, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Delhi too shall burn!"
In response, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala criticized Mamata Banerjee, saying that she is insulting protesters and doctors by suggesting that demanding justice is akin to causing unrest. He further claimed that nobody is safe in West Bengal except criminals.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accused Mamata of attempting to provoke the public to conceal her own shortcomings.
"Didi, how dare you threaten Assam? Don't show us bloodshot eyes. Don't try to set India on fire with your politics of failure," Sarma said in a post on X.

Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh also condemned Banerjee's remarks and demanded a public apology to the Northeast and the rest of the nation.
The incident that triggered this controversy was the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. Since that evening, junior doctors at state-run hospitals have been on a cease-work protest, demanding justice for the victim and robust security measures in hospitals.