Amid the continuing uproar over the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College, Trinamul Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar on Sunday apologised for her controversial remarks about female medical students. The MP shared a post on social media, where she wrote: “I apologize for the comments I made on a private channel.

If my remarks have hurt anyone, I am sorry. My intention has always been and will remain to protect the safety and rights of women.” Last Friday, Dr Dastidar while participating in a programme on a private television channel, had made remarks about female medical students securing qualifying marks by “sitting on the lap” of teaching doctors during her days as a medical student.

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She had also said that those who opposed this practice had been given lesser marks. Following her remarks, there was an outcry from both the political and medical communities. The state branch of the Indian Psychiatric Society condemned the MP’s comments, claiming they were disrespectful to women. Some doctors’ associations had even demanding her suspension from the Indian Medical Association (IMA).