Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Jawhar Sircar on Sunday sparked a debate with his letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, announcing his decision to resign from the Rajya Sabha. Sircar’s resignation comes in the aftermath of the shocking rape and murder of a Kolkata doctor, a tragedy that has shaken the state. In response, fellow TMC leader Kunal Ghosh expressed his agreement with a significant part of Sircar’s letter.
“We have learned that Jawhar Sircar has made his decision. He was one of the finest bureaucrats in the country and a standout from West Bengal. This is his personal choice, decision, and letter, and he has every right to take such a step. We simply want to express that we, too, agree with the essence of his letter and the questions it raises.” Ghosh told reporters in Kolkata.
#WATCH | Kolkata: On TMC Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar quitting from his post, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh says, “Jawahar Sarkar is a respected person… He is one of the best bureaucrats in the country. This is his personal decision, his personal letter, I cannot comment on it. He has… pic.twitter.com/evGwLxcHrM
— ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2024
Earlier in the day, Jawhar Sircar, in a letter to TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, voiced his disappointment with the state government’s handling of corruption following the scandal involving the former education minister.
He highlighted that the incident at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where a 31-year-old trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered, was the tipping point of his decision.
I am quitting as MP primarily because of WB government’s faulty handling of the most spontaneous public movement following the terrible rape-murder case at RG Kar Hospital.
Quitting politics— to be with the people in their struggle for justice.
My commitment to values unchanged pic.twitter.com/V98R06ziny
— Jawhar Sircar (@jawharsircar) September 8, 2024
Jawhar Sircar expressed disappointment, stating that despite his initial hopes for significant reforms through Mamata Banerjee’s anti-corruption campaign, little progress had been made.