Sack Mamata for the Sake of West Bengal

The shocking incident at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where a 31-year-old post-graduate trainee doctor was allegedly gang-raped and murdered, should be the final straw for the Union Home Ministry to invoke President’s Rule in West Bengal. The raid on early Thursday by an organized mob to ransack the hospital is a glaring sign of the complete breakdown of law and order under Mamata Banerjee’s leadership. Her government’s attempt to destroy evidence before the Central Bureau of Investigation could step in is a clear conspiracy, for which she is culpable as the head of the state. The police remained passive, it was alleged. Even members of  the Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance bloc, including the Congress and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), are calling for decisive action. This raises the question: what is preventing the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government from using its constitutional powers to address this crisis? Since Mamata assumed power, West Bengal’s law and order have not only deteriorated but reached new lows. Illegal immigrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh have been allowed to flood the state, becoming her party’s vote bank, ensuring her electoral victories through rigging, intimidation and orchestrated violence both before and after elections. Ironically, even the CPI-M, which ruled the state for decades, failed to contain the mayhem now unleashed by the Mamata’s Trinamool Congress. The Bharatiya Janata Party, however, has made significant inroads, emerging as a strong Opposition, particularly in the last assembly and Lok Sabha elections. They are fighting for the rights of the Hindus in West Bengal, which has nearly fallen into the hands of Islamist fundamentalists. Mamata, despite her pretense of being a Hindu, has repeatedly shown through her actions, as evidenced by news photos and videos circulating on social media, where her true loyalties lie. The organized attack on the hospital should be the last straw for both the Centre and Mamata. There is no longer any excuse for a responsible Central government to allow the state’s law and order to deteriorate further. As previously suggested in your newspaper’s editorial, it’s time to “Crack the whip.” The nation’s cry should now be “Sack Mamata Government,” especially when the ruling NDA has the backing of both the Congress and Left parties. Reports indicate that the attackers specifically targeted the scene where the doctor was gang-raped and killed. This is not only a damning indictment of the incompetent Kolkata police but also of the Chief Minister herself. Never in independent India has such a heinous act been witnessed—destroying hospital infrastructure, including intensive care units and emergency wards, meant to save lives. How can a government in power allow such destruction, putting patients’ lives at risk, forcing them to flee from emergency wards? The Centre must act without delay. An emergency all-party meeting should be convened to take everyone into confidence that the intention is not to destabilize a democratically elected government, but to restore law and order in the state. A short spell of President’s Rule is essential to prevent further chaos. The Opposition, despite its faults, cannot afford to reject such a proposal, as it is not about removing Mamata, but about restoring order and ensuring the safety of the people. In six months, the Central agencies can sanitize the state, remove illegal immigrants, invalidate their bogus identity cards and bring the culprits within the state administration—be it the police or bureaucracy—to justice. This decisive action will not only bolster Modi’s image but also the country’s reputation. The Opposition must realize that by supporting such a measure, they distance themselves from the perception that they are collaborating with external forces to divide the nation further. The cry of the nation today is loud and clear: Mamata must go. Only by removing her from power can the state administration be disciplined, law and order restored and peace and tranquility returned to West Bengal. The time for action is now.