At the stroke of the midnight hour, Calcutta’s women plan to awaken to life and freedom. Their war cry – safety, justice and equality. Tonight, when the clock strikes midnight, women across Calcutta and various districts will occupy the streets to protest against the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The protests will take place at over 45 locations, beginning late Wednesday night and continue until 5 a.m. on Independence Day.
A social media campaign titled, ‘Women, Reclaim the Night: The Night is Ours’ aims at seeking justice for the doctor’s rape and murder. The campaign was launched following Dr Sandip Ghosh’s resignation from the principal’s post in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Criticism surfaced on social media where netizens slammed Ghosh for first blaming the victim for “roaming in the night” and then saying she was like her daughter.
Under this campaign, protests will kick off from several key junctions of the city, including Jadavpur, Academy of Fine Arts, Shyambazar and also the districts. Among those who have pledged support for the campaign includes Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray. Taking to his X handle, Ray said: “I am going to join the protesters particularly because I’ve a daughter and little granddaughter like millions of Bengali families. We must rise to the occasion. Enough of cruelty against women. Let’s resist together. Come what may.”
Ray also added: “Gangrape and merciless murder happened in RG Kar Hospital. Who are they? Now the CBI are there to investigate. Well. I’ve no faith in CBI. They are nincompoops. Yet the truth is to be unravelled. Why are there attempts to shield the beasts? Whosoever is responsible for the crime must be hanged.” Authorities of Kolkata Metro have confirmed that a pair of additional metro services will be made available to ease movement late at night.
Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers stepped up their probe while the Joint Doctors’ Forum, has decided to continue its stir and has refused to join duties unless their demands of security and a transparent probe process are not met.
A team of CBI officers, which included medical and forensic experts reached the city early today and took charge of the probe after Calcutta High Court ordered a CBI investigation into the case. The court had instructed the Kolkata Police to transfer the case to the central agency by 10 am today. Two CBI officers had reached the Tallah police station late last night and conducted an initial investigation into the case.