Kolkata women to stage all-night protest against the RG Kar hospital crime

Women of Kolkata are congregating various major locations in the city for night-long protests at 11.55 on Wednesday night. The campaign, ‘Women, Reclaim the Night: The Night is Ours’, is aimed at seeking justice for the alleged sexual assault and murder of an on-duty second-year post-graduate trainee in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College & Hospital on Friday morning. The protest will take place simultaneously at Jadavpur 8 B Stand, Academy of Fine Arts, College Street, Sinthee More, Dunlop, Maldah English Bazar. Siliguri (Darjeeling More) as of now.

The campaign started gaining traction on social media in protest against the alleged comments by Dr Sandip Ghosh, the principal of the medical college, that blamed the victim, raising questions about why she was loitering around so late at night. Dr Ghosh, who has since denied making such a remark, resigned today saying, “The girl who died was like my daughter. I am also a parent. As a parent, I am resigning."

Rituparna Sengupta, too, expressed solidarity with the campaign, with a post that said: “Women will take over the streets, to find justice for women at midnight. Let us all join to seek justice.”

Mimi Chakraborty tweeted demanding exemplary punishment for the crime, adding, “Some1’s daughter died, some1’s dream, some1’s family nd the loss is irreparable. No mercy plea is what i stand for. I stand with you. (sic).”

Speaking to us, Bidipta Chakraborty said, “It is high time we women hit the streets to protest against such heinous acts. It is heartwarming to see so many people are coming forward for this initiative and it also shows how unsafe we are feeling in our city.”

Aditi Ray, an ex-journalist and one of the main organisers of the campaign said, “This initiative was conceptualised by my friend and professor Ritu Sen Chowdhury. We didn’t realise it would be welcomed by all so wholeheartedly and take such a form. It will be happening on the same night at Dunlop, Bangaon, and other places across the city. Even men are joining in. The response proves that all women want to break society’s age-old shackles.”