Kolkata, Sep 9 (IANS): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s appeal on Monday that people protesting on the streets against the rape and murder of a junior doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital should return to festival mood ahead of next month's Durga Puja has drawn scathing criticism from the opposition parties and a section of the protesters.

"If you stay on the roads every night, it will cause inconvenience for many people, especially the elders. There is a bar on using microphones after 10 p.m. which we have ignored so far. I will request all of you to get back to the festival mood. I will also request the CBI to ensure justice in the RG Kar case,” the Chief Minister said on Monday while interacting with mediapersons.

According to Bengal BJP President and Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar, the Chief Minister does not have the right to dictate people as to when they will end their agitation on such a sensitive issue.

“Entire Bengal is in a state of shock. Even elderly persons who never walked in any procession in their lives are now on the streets condemning the ghastly rape-murder. But instead of expressing solidarity with the spontaneous protesters, the Chief Minister is asking them to get into festival mood. This is simply unacceptable,” Majumdar said.

CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said the forthcoming Durga Puja cannot be used as an excuse to bridle the spontaneous public protests against the R.G. Kar tragedy.

“Let the festival and protests continue side by side,” Chakraborty said.

Rimjhim Sinha, who has become the face of the protests by women on the issue, said people should decide whether they will continue with the protests or get swayed in festival mood.

“The protest is not just against what has already happened. It is also to ensure such things are not repeated in the future,” she said.