Kolkata: Women ‘reclaim the night’ again; film fraternity raises its voice
Braving intermittent rains, women of all ages and backgrounds assemble in several areas and raise slogans — “We want justice”
In a rerun of the “Reclaim the Night” campaign, hundreds of women took to the streets in Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal on Sunday (August 18) night, demanding justice for the alleged rape and murder of a doctor in the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
And finally, after facing public flak for their “silence”, Bengal’s actors, directors, and technicians staged a protest rally in the city on Sunday.
Bengali film fraternity raises voice, finally
Directors Kaushik Ganguly, Srijit Mukherjee, Shibo Prasad Mukhopadhyay, Raj Chakraborty, Arjun Datta, and several other members of the Bengali film and TV industry, including actors Paoli Dam, Ankush Hazra, Parambrata Chatterjee, Saswata Chatterjee, Srabanti Chatterjee, Anirban Chakraborty, and Subhasree Ganguly, walked a kilometre, chanting “Tollygunge industry-r ektai swar, justice for RG Kar” (the Bengali film industry has one voice, we want justice for the victim).
Dam said, “I had to come to the rally today. A woman medical student was brutalised and murdered at her own workplace. We cannot stay silent; we must respond.” The procession started from the Technicians’ Studio in Tollygunge, travelled by bus to Khanna crossing in north Kolkata, and then continued on foot to Shyambazar Metro Station.
Actor Abir Chatterjee (top) and Saswata Chatterjee (above) and others during a protest rally in Kolkata on Sunday | PTI
Protests continue
In other places, braving intermittent rains, women of all ages and backgrounds assembled in several areas such as Jadavpur, Garia, Behala Parnashree, Khanna, Lake Town, and other city locations, and raised slogans — “We want justice”.
Protests, similar to the August 14 “Reclaim the Night” gatherings across West Bengal, were also held in Madhyamgram Chowmatha in North 24-Parganas, Siliguri, Durgapur, and other locations.
Some protesters carried flaming torches, while others displayed placards, demanding exemplary punishment for those involved in the horrific crime and condemning alleged efforts by parts of the administration to shield the culprits.
Political bickering continues
Expressing solidarity with the protestors, senior BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari told reporters, “I urge people to give a call for a march to state secretariat Nabanna so that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee can hear the voices of protest from her office. Let there be no party colour or flag. I am ready to support the battle of the people as a citizen.”
TMC leader Kunal Ghosh told reporters that the BJP was trying to “politicise” the incident.
“The CM is on the side of the bereaved family and already hit the streets demanding exemplary punishment of culprits. The case is now being investigated by the CBI. We all want justice to be done. We all are for the security of women,” he added.
(With agency inputs)