RG Kar victim’s mom hits campaign trail on woman safety plank

Kolkata: In March 2025, she and her husband were running pillar-to-post seeking justice for their only daughter, raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Aug 9, 2024. A year on, the bereaved mother has stepped into the electoral arena — contesting from her home constituency on a BJP ticket.She launched her maiden campaign on Thursday, at the party's state headquarters on Muralidhar Sen Lane, where she met senior functionaries before hitting the streets.In the afternoon, she offered prayers at a neighbourhood Annapurna temple at Natagarh CR Park near Sodepur HB Town. Draped in a BJP scarf and flanked by party workers — a sight locals described as unusual given her apolitical background — she greeted residents, shook hands and appealed for votes with folded hands."The nationwide movement after the heinous crime against my daughter gave me the courage to fight sinister forces. Seeing people from all walks of life — from an 80-year-old man in a wheelchair to a five-year-old child raising slogans for justice — strengthened my resolve," she told TOI.On the delay in justice, she said: "A long time has passed since my daughter's killing. Despite sustained protests, we are yet to get justice. I decided to contest on a BJP ticket to ensure justice is delivered."She also held the state's law and order situation responsible for the incident. "My daughter was a talented and courageous doctor. I want to fight for women's safety in Bengal and bring about change."Her husband echoed the sentiment, asserting BJP had the strength to challenge the Trinamool govt. He listed women's safety and civic infrastructure in Panihati — chronic waterlogging, garbage disposal, living conditions — as key priorities."Becoming a candidate comes from immense grief. If I win, it will be the victory of the people. I will raise my voice for those who have forgotten how to protest," she said.The Left Front has fielded Kalatan Dasgupta, a prominent face of the RG Kar protest movement, as its CPM candidate. "It was not about any one individual. We protested irrespective of political affiliations — from road blockades to ‘Reclaim the Night' programmes," Dasgupta told TOI.Trinamool candidate Tirthankar Ghosh said he had "nothing personal" against his BJP competitor. "This is an election to choose the MLA and the CM," he added.