The fire inside people refuses to extinguish. It seems that protests don’t die a natural death in the city of Calcutta because the gruesome rape and murder of a 31-year old trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has shaken the core of our conscience.
It has been a week since the incident occurred on August 9. But seven days after, none other than Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer fielded at RG Kar, has been arrested even though it is alleged that the rape and murder could be the work of more than one person. It seems the city will not sleep till justice is served.
Presidency University protest
On August 16, the students and teachers of the Presidency University (PU) walked the Bidhan Sarani, from Presidency gates to Shyambazar five-point crossing. Besides placards that cried for justice, the students held a mobile with the torch on, as they marched. In a conversation with The Telegraph Online, Bitan Islam, a third-year student at PU, informed that around 250 people, including non-teaching members and students outside PU joined the protest as well.
St. Xaviers’ College
The students of St. Xaviers’ College, Calcutta, who are conventionally not known to take part in protests, marched at Park Street with candles and placards. “We want justice,” the protestors gave out slogans.
Today West Bengal Pradesh Mahila Congress protested at Shyambazar Paanch Maatha More near R G Kar Medical College & Hospital
X/@sayyada_banoBJP protest at Shyambazar
The state BJP organised a protest at North Kolkata’s Shyambazar to protest against the vandalism that took place on Wednesday night.
Some of the BJP supporters scuffled with the state police which resulted in the arrest of several party workers. BJP state president and Lok Sabha MP, Sukanta Majumdar detained by the cops. “Police of the undemocratic Mamata Banerjee government don’t allow any protest,” said BJP mahila morcha president, Falguni Patra.
Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) (SUCI-C) activists stage a demonstration during their 12-hour general strike against the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, in Kolkata, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024.
PTIStrike by SUCI-C
The Socialist Unity Centre of India had called for a 12-hour general strike. They lambasted the Mamata-Banerjee government over its failure to ensure the safety of the doctors.
“The vandalism that took place inside the RG Kar hospital proves that the state government is yet to learn its lessons from the murder of the woman doctor,” an SUCI-C leader told the PTI.
West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee along with party leaders and supporters takes part in a protest rally demanding justice for a woman doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, in Kolkata, Friday, August 16, 2024.
PTIMamata Banerjee’s rally from Moulali to Dorina crossing
Accompanied by the Trinamul’s women MPs Mahua Moitra, June Malia, Satabdi Roy, and Rachana Banerjee, party supremo Mamata Banerjee took out a rally from Moulali to the Dorina crossing. Many women from Mamata’s rally walked with placards that demanded “capital punishment for the culprit.”