Even as over 100 days have passed since the heinous rape and murder of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital junior doctor, violence against women has continued unabated and civic society continues to grapple with the question of how to cure this social disease.
One such initiative is the formation of the Association of Bidhannagar Citizens, which was formally launched on the occasion of the 204th birth anniversary of one of the greatest social reformers of the country, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar.

The newly formed association organised a discussion at Aikatan, EZCC on why incidents like Abhaya’s murder continue to happen.

Aloka Ganguly, wife of late actor Anup Kumar, addresses the gathering at Aikatan.

“The RG Kar incident has taken away our night’s sleep,” said filmmaker Satarupa Sanyal, a resident of BC Block. Vidyasagar exemplified values of courage, humanism, honesty and empathy. “Our failure to imbibe these values has resulted in a society plagued by corruption, injustice and malpractice. People are demanding not only justice for Abhaya but also a societal transformation. Abhaya’s death has awakened the collective conscience of the community, bolstered the courage to protest against injustice and opened our eyes to the all-permeating dishonesty, corruption and nepotism. This mass upheaval, without any (political) flag, reflects the desire for a cleaner environment. Instead of solely focusing on becoming high-ranking professionals, we need to ensure becoming compassionate and ethical individuals who can contribute to a better society,” the National Award-winning director said.

Theatre personality Kuntal Mukhopadhyay referred to the opposition that Vidyasagar had to face in his bid to introduce education for women. Mukhopadhyay wondered whether the situation had changed since then. “I felt really disturbed when after the RG Kar incident, the principal advisor of the chief minister, Alapan Bandyopadhyay announced as a solution that all attempts would be made to avoid allotting night duties to women doctors. It’s time to change the system but that is not possible by casting vote alone. We are all responsible for this mess as our indifference to and indulgence of malpractice brought things to this pass,” he said.

Dr Adrija Rahman Mukherjee, a specialist in family medicine, felt that the gathering on the night of August 14 was the result of a collective awakening, encouraging people to reflect on broader societal issues. “The fight between intellect and power is eternal but this tragic incident has served as a catalyst for mass mobilisation. In the context of the RG Kar case, Vidyasagar’s name comes up automatically as he introduced women’s education, ignoring all obstacles. Education teaches us to differentiate between right and wrong. Abhaya has shown us that majority of us did not acquire proper education.”

Pabitra Sarkar, who stays in HB Block, pointed to a “big gap between what we preach and what we practice”. Sarkar underscored the need for children to imbibe strong moral principles as part of their upbringing. “Incidents like Abhaya’s murder continue to occur as we have failed to instil Vidyasagar’s values in our next generation,” Sarkar pointed out, while discussing the Renaissance man’s initiatives for women’s education and widow marriage.

Actress Aloka Ganguly expressed grief for Abhaya’s tragic death. “It seems an ominous darkness is engulfing us from all corners. Doctors are indispensable in any society.”

Urmila Sen, a resident of CE Block who has been named the president of the association, referred to a series of brutal cases of rape that had occurred from 2012 to 2019. “Abhaya, at the cost of her life, has taught us to protest. We need to have patience and remain committed and united.”

The convenor of the forum, Ritesh Basak, explained the objective of forming the association. “The Association of Bidhannagar Citizens comprises residents of the township and aims to promote the development of the township. Launching this association on the birth anniversary of Vidyasagar underscores our commitment to addressing not just local development but also social issues. It highlights the need for engagement of civil society to ensure that Bidhannagar becomes a safer and more progressive township,” he said.