RG Kar rape-murder: Governor calls urgent meet; to provide update on action taken
The governor's message comes following an open letter by Harbhajan Singh to him and CM Mamata Banerjee, expressing “deep anguish over the delay in justice”
Following an open letter by AAP Rajya Sabha MP and former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has called an emergency meeting of representatives from a cross-section of the Bengal society to apprise them of the action taken in the rape and murder of the postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.
Governor’s message
“HG’s (Honourable governor) swift action on the letter from Shri Harbhajan Singh expressing his anguish over the tragic incident which took place in R.G. Kar Medical College. HG has called an emergency meeting of a cross-section of the Bengal society to apprise them of the action taken in the matter and to take stock of their opinion in this regard,” the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata posted on X.
“HG will be addressing Shri Harbhajan Singh on the action taken and proposed to be taken. HG expressed his solidarity with the civil society all over India who have expressed their deep concern over the ghastly incident and the apparent inaction of the government in the matter,” it added.
Harbhajan’s letter
In the open letter, addressed to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Governor CV Ananda Bose, Harbhajan had expressed “deep anguish over the delay in justice”.
“The fact that such an atrocity could occur within the premises of a medical institution, a place dedicated to healing and saving lives, is both shocking and unacceptable. Medical community are already working in challenging conditions. With such incidents, how can we expect them to perform their duties with dedication when their own safety is so greatly compromised?” he wrote.
He added that it has been more than a week “but we are yet to see any concrete action”.
Need for “comprehensive measures”
Harbhajan also pointed out that “such incidents [of crimes against women] are reported from different parts of the country and have become regular columns on newspapers and TV programmes”.
He added that “governments must implement comprehensive measures to prevent such occurrences in the future”.
“This includes strengthening security protocols within hospitals, providing adequate support to victims of violence, and creating a safer working environment for all healthcare professionals,” he wrote.
