Kolkata: Firhad Hakim is undoubtedly the biggest Muslim leader of the Trinamool in Bengal. He is also the Kolkata Mayor and an influential minister who has Urban Development & Municipal Affairs portfolio apart from Fire an Emergency Services. He is believed to be a close aide of chief minister Mamata Banerjee. But now, his daughter, who is also a doctor, has openly rebelled against Banerjee after her party’s inaction in the aftermath of a junior doctor being brutally attacked.

The alleged inaction was largely seen as a part of Mamata's Muslim appeasement. But, now with the tallest Muslim leader's daughter Shabba Hakim saying that she is "ashamed" of how the Trinamool handled the situation is nothing less than a rebellion in a state where the incident has become the centre of political discourse.

Also read: Brutality on NRS doctor blows up into communal storm in Bengal
 

"I am ashamed at the silence of our leader"

In a strongly worded outburst, Shabba, a doctor herself wrote, "...as a TMC supporter I am deeply ashamed at the inaction and the silence of our leader." Interestingly, Banerjee called these protests across hospitals as "political" and blamed the BJP for it. But here, Firhad Hakim's daughter herself stated, "We have a right to peaceful protest. We have a right to safety at work."

Also read: Now, BJP worker beaten and burned to death in Mamata's Bengal

Shabba expressed solidarity with the on-duty intern and said, "Please question the government as in why the police officers posted in government hospitals do little to nothing to protect doctors? Please question them that when 2 truckload of goon showed up why wasn’t back up sent immediately? Please question why goons are still surrounding hospitals and beating up doctors?"

Essentially, Hakim's daughter is not only questioning the ruling party of which her father is a minister but is also questioning the police force who come under the Home ministry which is handled by none other than CM Mamata Banerjee herself. 

Shabba with her father Firhad Hakim

What are the protests all about?

An on-duty intern of Kolkata's Neel Ratan Sarkar Hospital, Dr Paribaha Mukherjee sustained fatal injuries on Monday night after a large group of relatives and friends attacked him following the death of a patient. The attackers alleged inaction on part of the hospital staff. But the hospital staff maintain that the deceased, a 75-year old, was brought in a critical state and his chances of survival were slim. The attack was so brutal and violent that the CT scan of Dr Mukherjee's skull shows a big and clear dent. So severe was the attack, that Dr Mukherjee was extremely critical and battling life before showing signs of recovery.

NRS protest

What made matter worse for Mamata was at one hand when Shabba rebelled against TMC, her father wasn't unforgiving either. In a tweet, Firhad Hakim, the most prominent Muslim face of TMC called those attackers "gonoshotru" (enemy of the people). Bengal's 27.1% Muslim population stood rock solid behind Mamata Banerjee in 2019 election that saw the party lose sixteen seats to the BJP due to Hindu consolidation. But with the daughter of the community’s tallest leader openly saying she is "ashamed" of TMC and its leadership, is nothing short of a political volcano in the state where BJP is turning every crisis of Mamata into its opportunity.