The mother of the junior doctor who was raped and murdered at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital alleged on Monday that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was lying about not having offered money to the family, India Today reported.

“She [Banerjee] said that you will get the compensation, and you can build something in memory of your daughter,” said the mother. “I had said then that when my daughter gets justice, I will come to your office and take the compensation.”

Earlier in the day, Banerjee rejected claims that the police attempted to bribe the doctor’s parents, calling it “slander” against the Trinamool Congress government in the state. She was speaking at an administrative review meeting in the state secretariat.

The 31-year-old trainee doctor was found dead at the state-run medical institute on August 9. The incident sparked protests across the country. The doctors at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital have been protesting for nearly a month.

On Monday, the trainee doctor’s mother claimed that the chief minister was attempting to “strangle” the protests, India Today reported.

“It is like my daughter was strangled and evidence was destroyed,” she said. “Until we get justice, we will stay on the road.”

This came days after Banerjee’s remarks that she does not want to take action against the protesting doctors and that if a first information report is registered against them, “their future will be destroyed”.

According to NDTV, Banerjee said on August 28: “We did not act against you [junior doctors] after you protested because I understand you are upset. But please join work gradually. Supreme Court has said that the state government can now take action [against protesters].”

The Bharatiya Janata Party objected to Banerjee’s remarks and said that she had “threatened doctors with word play” to get them to resume their duties. However, the chief minister denied that she had threatened the protesting doctors with criminal cases.

In August, the police also used batons, tear gas and water cannons to clamp down on protests.

On Monday, the mother of the junior doctor said that the protests would continue until justice was ensured for her daughter.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court warned doctors at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital to end their strike by 5 pm on Tuesday or face disciplinary action.

The mother also said that Banerjee’s appeal to protestors to halt their agitation and prepare for the upcoming festival of Durga Puja was “inhuman”.

On Monday, the chief minister asked the protesters to “return to festivities” in view of the Durga Puja coming up, The Indian Express reported. “I request you to return to festivities and demand that the CBI [Central Bureau of Investigation] complete its investigations at the earliest,” she said.

On August 13, the Calcutta High Court transferred the rape and murder case to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Banerjee on resignation of police commissioner

At the meeting on Monday, Banerjee claimed that Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal had offered to resign. However, she said that could not accept his resignation until the end of the Durga Puja festivities next month, according to The Indian Express.

The state government has been criticised for its handling of the case and the ensuing protests. The protesting doctors have listed Goyal’s resignation as one of their demands.

“The police commissioner came to me to tender his resignation,” Banerjee said on Monday. “How can I accept that before Durga Puja? He knows all the roads of Kolkata and how to control the situation. After the festive season, we can think about this.”

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