Former Trinamool Rajya Sabha member turns ‘rebel’ over RG Kar fiasco

Kolkata, Aug 15 (IANS) Former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Santanu Sen, who reportedly went against his party lines on the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last week, on Thursday expressed his solidarity with the protesting medical students and junior doctors of the hospital.Earlier in the day, Trinamool Vice President Jaiprakash Majumdar announced the removal of Sen, who’s an alumnus of R.G. Kar, as the state spokesman, claiming that the hospital incident had nothing to do with the party’s decision.A couple of hours later, Sen reached the dais of the protesting medical students and junior doctors at R.G. Kar, and said that he was there as a former student of the institute to express solidarity with the cause of the protest.“I strongly condemn the orchestrated attack on the protesting students and junior doctors, and the destruction of hospital property last night. The photos of those involved in that act are everywhere on social media and television channels. If the police want, they can be easily identified,” Sen said.He also said that the CBI investigating the rape-murder case, if necessary, should take the former principal of R.G. Kar, Sandip Ghosh, into custody for interrogation.“He is probably the only medical college principal who is being shielded despite so many controversies involving him. Why attempts are being made to retain him after so much controversy? The Chief Minister wants quick conclusion of the investigation. The public also wants the same. So I request the CBI that if necessary, it should interrogate Ghosh by taking him into custody,” Sen said.Political observers feel that Sen indirectly targeted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee through his comments. Earlier this week, Sandip Ghosh had announced his decision to resign both from the post of principal at R.G Kar and from the state medical services.However, the same day the Health Department came out with a notification announcing his appointment as the principal of Calcutta National Medical College & Hospital (CNMCH).However, Ghosh could not take up his new role after the Calcutta High Court barred his appointment as principal in any medical college in the state till further orders.–IANSsrc/arm