Harbhajan Singh Mamata Banerjee: ‘If not now, then when, Harbhajan Singh’s anger erupted on Kolkata incident, wrote a letter to Mamata Banerjee

Protests are continuing across the country over the rape and murder of a female trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Now former Team India cricketer and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Harbhajan Singh has given a statement on this entire matter. Bhajji has written a letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressing his ‘deep pain’ over the delay in getting justice to the victim.

Sharing the letter on his X account, Harbhajan Singh wrote, ‘With deep anguish over the delay in justice to the victim of the Kolkata rape-murder case, this incident has shaken the conscience of all of us. I have made a heartfelt request to the Honorable Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee and the Governor of Bengal. They are requested to take swift and decisive action.’

Harbhajan says, ‘The safety and dignity of women cannot be compromised. The perpetrators of this heinous crime must face the full wrath of the law and the punishment must be exemplary. Only then can we restore faith in our system and ensure that such a tragedy never happens again. Also, we can create a society where every woman feels safe and protected. We must ask ourselves – if not now, then when? I think, the time for action has come now.’

In a two-page letter, Harbhajan addressed Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal Governor C.V. Anand Bose and the citizens of India. Harbhajan wrote in his letter, ‘This unimaginable act of violence has shaken the conscience of all of us. This is not only a heinous crime against an individual but a serious attack on the dignity and safety of every woman in our society. It is a reflection of deeply rooted issues in our society and a clear reminder of the urgent need for systemic change and action by the authorities.

The letter further reads, ‘Such brutality took place on the premises of a medical institution, a place dedicated to treatment and saving lives. This is quite shocking and unacceptable. More than a week has passed and we are yet to see any concrete action, which has led the doctors and the medical community to protest on the streets. The medical community is already working under challenging conditions. How can we expect them to perform their duties with dedication after such incidents, when their own safety is so seriously at risk.’

Veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh retired from international cricket in December 2021. After this, Bhajji entered politics and was elected to the Rajya Sabha on the ticket of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in April 2022. Harbhajan won many matches for Team India with his bowling. He also took a hat-trick in the historic Test match played against Australia at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in 2001. Harbhajan was only 21 years old at that time and after that match, Harbhajan Singh became an important part of Team India.

During his illustrious career, Harbhajan Singh was also a member of the 2011 World Cup and 2007 T20 World Cup winning team. He played a key role in the victory by taking 9 wickets in the 2011 World Cup and 7 wickets in the 2007 T20 World Cup. During his illustrious career, Harbhajan took 417 wickets in 103 Tests, 269 wickets in 236 ODIs and 25 wickets in 28 T20 Internationals.

The body of a post graduate doctor of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was found on August 9, following which there have been widespread protests. The Indian Medical Association has called for a 24-hour nationwide strike on Saturday to protest the alleged rape and murder of its colleague.