Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], July 7 : West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Opposition over its protest following the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in Baruipur.
Speaking to reporters, Ghosh accused the Opposition leader of "staging drama" and questioned her track record on issues of crime and development.
"People have given her a chance to sit in the opposition. She's such a popular leader who couldn't win on her own. Now she's out there staging drama on the streets. You are in the opposition. You know how to protest; you've done that your whole life. You don't know anything about development. Thousands of rapes and murders have happened during her rule--have you ever seen her on the streets for those? Going to the home of any victim to offer condolences? No, you haven't seen that," he said.
Ghosh's remarks came after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee, along with party workers and leaders, held a candlelight march on Monday condemning the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in Baruipur.
TMC leaders have accused the state police of confining her to her residence and preventing her from visiting the victim's family.
Speaking on the incident, TMC MP Pratima Mandal said, "We stand with the victim's family. On Mamata Banerjee's instructions, 4 of our TMC members went there. Mamata Banerjee spoke to the victim's father from Dola Sen's phone. She wanted to go there since yesterday, but the police have created an environment like house arrest. The public is still with Mamata Banerjee today."
The girl went missing on Saturday and was later found dead in a pond, with an alleged case of rape and murder triggering outrage and protests in the area. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has spoken to the girl's father on the phone and reportedly assured capital punishment for the accused.