Mamata faces student protests at Oxford over RG Kar case

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee faced an unexpected confrontation during her speech at Kellogg College, Oxford University, when a group of students protested against her over the RG Kar Medical College case and post-poll violence in West Bengal. The event, initially focused on governance and democracy, took a dramatic turn as students raised questions about law and order issues in Bengal.

While responding to the agitation, Banerjee attempted to defend her government’s stance but was met with continuous interruptions. At one point, she displayed an old image of herself from the early 1990s, showing her covered in bandages. She claimed that the image was proof of an assassination attempt on her by the opposition decades ago, using it as a counterargument against the accusations.

A significant moment occurred when a protester from the audience questioned her about the rape and murder case at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College. Banerjee responded by stating, “This matter is not related to politics. The case is with the central government and is sub-judice. Do not do politics here.” However, this statement did not pacify the students, who continued to sloganeer and hold pamphlets related to the RG Kar incident.

Despite efforts to continue her address, the protests escalated, leading to visible tension in the hall. The security team at Kellogg College intervened to ensure order, and some protestors were escorted out. The incident quickly gained media attention, with both critics and supporters of Mamata Banerjee weighing in on social media.

Following the event, the Kellogg College administration issued an apology to Mamata Banerjee for the disruptions during her speech. They clarified that while protests and freedom of expression are valued, disruptions affecting guest speakers were not encouraged.