Bengal polls: RG Kar victim’s mother seeks BJP ticket from Panihati, faces ‘Reclaim the Night’ backlash

KOLKATA: The mother of the RG Kar victim on Thursday claimed that she is set to contest the assembly election as a BJP candidate from the Panihati constituency to "secure justice for her daughter and to fight for women's safety in Bengal", prompting a backlash from the ‘Reclaim the Night' protesters. Panihati is among the 38 seats in which BJP has not declared its candidate's name."A long time has passed since the brutal killing of my daughter. Despite prolonged movements and struggle, we are yet to get justice. I have decided to contest the election on a BJP ticket to secure justice for her. I have personally conveyed my interest to the BJP functionaries to contest from Panihati. If they nominate me, I will definitely fight to establish women's safety in Bengal by removing the Trinamool govt," she said.The victim's father said, "There has already been preliminary talks with BJP netas regarding my wife's candidature. As per party protocols, the name will be announced after we formally join the party. We are almost certain about the candidature and my wife will now directly enter political arena to fight for justice and women's safety."He also lashed out at the CPM, accusing its netas of using the movement for political gains. "CPI(M) netas strengthened their position in the name of protests, but later they did not keep in touch with us. Their movement was aimed at politicising my daughter's death," he added.Leading faces of the RG Kar protest reacted with shock as many called the move "unfortunate" and "deplorable", while others voiced anger and anguish on social media.Rimjhim Sinha, the first to give a call for the ‘Reclaim the Night' movement, said it was "very unfortunate". "I can imagine how hurt and helpless they must be, but they chose to support a party which has been repetitively responsible for eradicating the presence and independence of several daughters in India. Bilkis Bano, Kathua, Unnao... it's heartbreaking to keep the count. Unimaginably hurt to know that they took the side of a party which garlands rapists and upholds patriarchy," Sinha said.Gender activist and convenor of Reclaim the Night United Satabdi Das said, "It is a completely wrong choice. Even if her mother was not aware of the current political climate, she should still understand the gravity of rape and be familiar with cases such as Unnao, Hathras, Asifa, and Bilkis Bano." Indudipa Sinha, an alumna of RG Kar, said she “empathises” with her mental state due to “delayed and/or denied justice for her daughter”. “Her rage against the present state government is completely understandable and justifiable. But stepping into the election scene as a candidate has a fair possibility to be disastrous as it surely will lead her to be manipulated. It will certainly not be in a way we or she wants it to be right now,” she said.Actress Ushasie Chakraborty feels more let down by the system that pushed her to a point where she made such a wrong choice, and not so much by the mother. “I will not truly understand the trauma of a bereaved mother whose daughter met with such a heinous crime. But I am surely let down by the system that pushed her to a point where she made such a wrong choice,” Chakraborty said.Refusing to judge her, director Birsa Dasgupta, who was part of Amra Tilottama, said, “I have two daughters and have always worried about their safety in this city. That is why I reacted emotionally and joined the protests after the RG Kar incident. I know a mother whose daughter has been raped and murdered can go to any extent in her fight for justice. I feel the frustration of not getting justice has become overwhelming. Perhaps she believes politics is the only way left to fight back. I don’t know her personally, never interacted, may be, she feels the only party that can help raise her voice at the national level is the BJP.”Bengal BJP neta Rudranil Ghosh said: "Abhaya's mother wants to be a BJP candidate. She knows who is responsible for her daughter's tragic end. Only time will tell if the BJP agrees to her proposal."