West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's recent appeal for people to shift their focus from protests to Durga Puja celebrations has sparked a strong backlash from the grieving mother of a Kolkata trainee doctor who was brutally raped and murdered.

The mother criticized Banerjee’s remarks as "insensitive," stating, "We used to celebrate Durga Puja with our daughter, but now we will not celebrate any festival for years. Her comments are insensitive. Let her return our daughter. Would she have said the same if this happened in her own family?" She further accused the Trinamool Congress leader of trying to suppress the protests calling for justice for her daughter.

The ongoing protests, led by junior doctors and supported by the public, have been demanding immediate action following the tragic murder of the 31-year-old doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. The protests have been a significant issue in West Bengal, continuing for over a month.

In response to the unrest, Banerjee urged the public to "return to festivities" and allow the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to complete its investigation. She stated during a state secretariat meeting, "I request you to return to festivities and let the CBI complete the investigation at the earliest."

Banerjee also addressed allegations that she had offered money to the victim's family, denouncing these claims as "slanderous lies" and part of a conspiracy by the central government and some Left parties. She challenged anyone to provide evidence of such claims, calling them an attempt to malign her government.

Additionally, Banerjee revealed that Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal had offered to resign over the case but was persuaded to stay due to the upcoming Durga Puja festival.

Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari criticized Banerjee’s call to return to festivities, questioning if she viewed the public as "puppets." He also accused her of lying about offering compensation to the family, posting videos on X (formerly Twitter) that he claimed showed her contradictory statements.