The battle for justice in the horrific RG Kar Medical College rape and murder intensifies in West Bengal and across the country. The roar is getting louder and the issue of continued violence against women has once again come to the forefront. A female doctor trainee was raped and murdered on August 9 at a seminar room on the 4th floor of the emergency ward of R G Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata.
The rape and murder incident has once again sparked the “Reclaim the Night, Reclaim The Rights Movement” across the country against sexual violence, victim-blaming and rape culture. On the eve of Independence Day, midnight marches were organised in Kolkata and across the state of West Bengal in which thousands of women and people from all walks of life marched in unison demanding an end to sexual violence in the workplace and enduring freedom and liberty for women and gender minorities, asserting their presence with slogans and posters in hand from villages to the cities. Their voices echoed against the victim blaming and pervasive rape culture in society. AIPWA comrades across the state actively participated in the movement in West Bengal, Delhi, Bangalore, Assam, Jharkhand, Uttarpradrsh in demand of justice for R.G Kar and putting an end to deep rooted rape culture. In Delhi, doctors, students and citizens organised the ‘Reclaim The Night’ march from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) campus. Members of CPIML, AISA and AIPWA participated in these protests in large numbers demanding justice in RG college incident and immediate steps to ensure end to violence against women. The call for gender sensitisation committee against sexual harassment (GSCASH) bodies in all institutes and workplaces, along with proper implementation of Vishaka judgement and Justice Verma Committee recommendations were raised. Similar marches were organised in Delhi, Mumbai, Assam, UP, Pune and several other cities across the country claiming rights over public spaces without fear. On August 14, CPIML also organised protests and deputation in Howrah.
On August 16, CPIML organized statewide protest condemning the attack on RG Kar medical college protest site in the night of August 14, which was attempt to weaken and mislead the people’s outrage. Protests were organised in Kolkata, South and North 24-Parganas, Alipurduar, Hooghly, Howrah, Bankura, Nadia, Burdwan and other places. Joining the protest, CPIML and AIPWA called for a full-time minister for state’s health ministry to take immediate measures to ensure safety and protection for healthcare providers and accountability of health institutions.
On August 17 and 18, as part of nationwide strike call given by doctors, thousands marched in Kolkata’s College Street to Shyambazar, Delhi’s LMCH hospital and several other places demanding justice. The protesters warned against any kind of cover-up and insisting on the delivery of justice. They also warned against any attempts to impose restricting codes on women in the institutions in the name of women’s safety. Their voices echoed against the victim blaming and pervasive rape culture in society.
On August 18, the rattled state administration in West Bengal even cancelled the football match between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal football clubs, fearing the shadow of Justice for RG Kar College incident protests. Despite the cancellation, football fans from both clubs unitedly marched demanding end to sexual violence and calling for justice. The police even tried to lathi-charge the protesting football fans, but the call for justice is getting only lounder.
The state of West Bengal is witnessing mass protests in different forms from various sections of the society, from Doctors to teachers, writers to artists, lawyers to mid day meal workers, students to gig workers and so on.
The recent spate of rapes and murders of a doctor in Kolkata, a nurse in Uttarakhand and a Dalit girl in Bihar and the calls against sexual violence from Manipur to Women Wrestlers have sparked the fire for gender justice and women’s freedom. CPIML salutes the raging battle for women’s freedom and ending violence against women - everywhere.
