City of joy wrapped in blanket of darkness
KOLKATA,SEPT 5 : Less than a month after a medico’s brutal rape and murder at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, protests by junior doctors demanding action in the case have only spiraled.
n Wednesday, Kolkata appeared wrapped in a blanket of darkness as thousands of people spontaneously switched off their lights from 9 to 10 pm as a symbol of rising frustration over the government’s failure to bring the culprits to justice. The City of Joy’s iconic Victoria Memorial Hall was bereft of illumination.
Lights at West Bengal’s Raj Bhawan were also switched off. “The Governor directs the CM to take convincing steps to assuage the sentiments of the people of Bengal who are agitated over the RG Kar Hospital horror and maintain law and order in the state offering protection and security to the women. Enough is enough,” a statement from Raj Bhawan said.
Hundreds of junior doctors held a candle march near Lalbazaar, where the Kolkata Police headquarters is located and shouted slogans demanding justice for the victim.
People stand during a candlelight vigil in protest against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, in Kolkata, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.
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Echoing the ‘Reclaim the Night’ movement of August 14 midnight, people assembled at various places such as New Town’s Biswa Bangla Gate, Shyambazar, Sinthir More, Sodpur Traffic More, Hazra More, Jadavpur 8B bus stand, Lake Gardens, and Behala Sakher Bazar to demand justice.
Patients wait in queues at RG Kar Medical college and Hospital as junior doctors continue to ‘cease work’ in protest | PTI
Patients wait in queues at RG Kar Medical college and Hospital as junior doctors continue to ‘cease work’ in protest | PTI
The victim’s father thanked people across India again for coming together, but he posed several questions. “The state government took responsibility for conducting the last rites of my daughter. Can’t we have money to conduct my daughter’s last rites? We were informed after conducting her last rites,” he said.
People sang Kazi Nazrul Islam’s revolutionary song ‘Karar Oi Louho Kapat, Bhenge Phel Korre Lopat’ (let’s unshackle the iron grill) to press for the cause.
Film personalities Swastika Mukherjee and Sohini Sarkar joined gatherings at Golf Green and Shyambazar, respectively, supporting the call for justice and freedom from oppression.
Several lawyers formed human chains outside the Calcutta High Court and Bankshall Court here on Wednesday, seeking justice for the young doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at R G Kar hospital. They also held placards and shouted slogans outside the court buildings.After forming a human chain, the lawyers practising at Bankshall Court participated in a rally
BJP activists on Wednesday scuffled with police at Panskura and Onda during the saffron party’s gherao of West Bengal government offices to protest. A scuffle broke out among the activists and police personnel during the gherao of district administration offices at Panskura and Onda, but the situation was promptly brought under control.
-PTI
