Suvendu’s mother wants her son to work for achieving justice for R G Kar rape-murder victim

KANTHI (WB), May 9: Newly sworn-in Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s mother Gayatri Adhikari today said she wants her son to work toward achieving justice for the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder victim.

She and her three-time MP husband Sisir Adhikari said the people of West Bengal are happier than they are over their son being at the helm of the first BJP government in West Bengal.

Suvendu Adhikari and five other BJP MLAs took the oath at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata on Saturday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the BJP’s central leadership and chief ministers of NDA-ruled states.

Expressing pride over her son becoming the chief minister, Gayatri Adhikari said, “I will ask him to now work for achieving justice to the R G Kar rape-murder victim and all others who faced atrocities.”

The victim, a postgraduate trainee, was raped and murdered while on duty at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, 2024, causing nationwide outrage.

Her mother Ratna Debnath won on a BJP ticket from Panihati constituency.

Gayatri Adhikari said her son fought tirelessly against the TMC for the past five years.

The chief minister’s mother said she wants her son to also look into the issues of jobs, women’s security and protecting the interests of the poorer sections of the society.

Sisir Adhikari said the movement in Nandigram against forcible land acquisition was led by his son.

The year-long agitation in 2007 by an anti-land acquisition forum at Nandigram was one of the main planks, along with the one at Singur in 2008, over which the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress brought down the 34-year-long Left Front rule in West Bengal.

“Again and again, attempts were made to push him (Suvendu) back through various strategies, but today even ordinary people have achieved victory,” he said.

“This is not just about Nandigram; the culture and spirit of Kolkata and all of West Bengal have received recognition,” he said.

Reflecting on her son’s struggle, mother Gayatri Adhikari said Suvendu, who was the leader of the opposition in the previous Assembly, had faced life-threatening attacks three to four times.

“I am very happy, but the people of Bengal are happier,” Gayatri Adhikari said.

Stating that Adhikari worked tirelessly, his mother said, “He has imbibed the fighting spirit from his father to become what he is today; his father was also like this.”

Sisir Adhikari was a three-time TMC MP from the Kanthi Lok Sabha constituency. The family shifted allegiance to the BJP in the run-up to the 2021 Assembly polls. (PTI)