Leader of Opposition in the Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari stayed away from a meeting to appoint state information commissioners, in the state Information Commission citing the rape and murder of the post-graduate trainee at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital last August.

“The chief minister is also the police minister (Mamata Banerjee holds the home portfolio) and under her watch the Kolkata Police destroyed evidence in the RG Kar rape and murder case in order to derail the investigation, which ultimately created hindrance in the investigation process,” Adhikari wrote in his letter sent to the secretary, department of personnel and administrative reforms, describing the decision as an “emotional call”.

The three member panel for selection and appointment of the information commissioners includes chief minister Mamata Banerjee, cabinet colleague Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay and the leader of Opposition in the state Assembly.

“As long as the perpetrators (government officials and influential ruling party politicians of West Bengal) who were involved in such despicable act are not put behind bars and our sister doesn’t get justice, my conscience won’t allow me to attend any meeting where the West Bengal home minister who is also chief minister is also present,” Adhikari wrote.

The rape and murder of the 31-year old PGT at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital while on duty, in August last year gave rise to unprecedented public outrage against Mamata and the Trinamul.

The meeting came in the backdrop of the acrimony between Adhikari and the chief minister which has overshadowed most of the Assembly proceedings for the last four years. The two have avoided meeting each other except for the Assembly proceedings.

Last year on the eve of Independence Day, Adhikari did not show up at a tea party hosted by Bengal governor C.V. Ananda Bose, where the chief minister was also among the guests.

Adhikari, who is under suspension from attending the Assembly proceedings, stirred a fresh controversy threatening to “physically throw out” Muslim lawmakers from the state Assembly once the BJP comes to power.

Adhikari’s comment on Muslim legislators was met with equal virulence from the treasury benches and the ruling Trinamul, with some MLAs issuing threats to the leader of Opposition asking him to withdraw the remark.

On the floor of the state Assembly while addressing MLAs from the government and opposition Mamata had wondered aloud, how Bengal’s leader of Opposition could make such a statement.

On his part, Adhikari, who had defeated Mamata from Nandigram in the 2021 Assembly polls, has expressed his desire to contest from the chief minister’s home turf, Bhowanipore in next year’s Assembly polls.