RG Kar protest: Another ‘Reclaim the Night’ call given on September 8 in Bengal

Kolkata, Sep 6 (IANS) In continuation of their protest against the rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital last month, thousands of women, along with common citizens, across Bengal are expected to take to the streets in another round of ‘Reclaim the Night’ campaign on the midnight of September 8, marking a month since the ghastly incident was reported.

Incidentally, a crucial hearing on the rape and murder is scheduled in the Supreme Court on September 9 during which the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is expected to submit the progress report of its investigation in the case.

Unlike ‘Meyera Raat Dakhol Koro’ (women reclaim the night), the midnight protest on Saturday will be called ‘Shashoker Ghum Bhangate Notun Ganer Bhor’ (New song of dawn to wake the rulers out of slumber), said Rimjhim Sinha, the convenor of the first protest on the midnight of August 14.

According to Sinha, in Satyajit Ray’s cult movie ‘Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne’, song was the medium to wake the ruler out of slumber.

“Keeping in mind the theme ‘Shashoker Ghum Bhangate Notun Ganer Bhor’, we have invited different cultural groups to join our protest on September 8 night,” Sinha said.

To recall, on the midnight on Independence Day eve, when thousands of people hit the streets across the state to protest the rape-murder incident, the focus turned towards R.G. Kar where a large mob vandalised the emergency department of the hospital.

The state government and the Kolkata Police came under massive criticism following the incident.

While some claimed that the attack was orchestrated to divert attention from the ‘reclaim the night’ campaign, some claimed it was an attempt to destroy evidence at the scene of crime within the hospital premises.

–IANS

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