West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress, under pressure over the RG Kar hospital rape-murder case, responded today by releasing a video allegedly showing pro-separatist chants at a protest rally. Trinamool spokesperson Riju Dutta shared the video on X, asserting that the demonstration had been “hijacked by the Left and ultra-Left elements.”
In his post, Dutta claimed that those raising the slogans had no genuine concern for the victim but were instead promoting an “anti-India agenda.” He wrote, “Let there be no doubt—Kashmir is an integral part of India and will remain so.”
“Kashmir Maange Azadi” Slogan Raised at a Protest Rally for the RG Kar Victim.
This is a clear indication that the Protest Rally’s are hijacked by the Left & Ultra Left…and these Anti Nationals or Urban Naxals has no interest in the justice for the victim, they just want to… pic.twitter.com/QIb1wVLQRg
— 𝐑𝐢𝐣𝐮 𝐃𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐚 (@DrRijuDutta_TMC) September 30, 2024
Dutta also urged citizens to be cautious when participating in such rallies, warning them against unknowingly supporting what he described as anti-national propaganda.
The undated video showed protesters, including young men and women, chanting “Azadi” slogans for Kashmir, with Kolkata police personnel visible in the background. NDTV has not independently verified the authenticity of the footage.
A case has been filed at Patuli Police Station in Kolkata against unidentified individuals under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Although the term “Azadi” originated in Kashmir, it has since been adopted by various movements across India, particularly in protests against patriarchy and gender-based violence. For many, the slogan symbolizes the demand for freedom from oppressive social structures, such as rape culture.
The RG Kar hospital rape-murder, which occurred on August 9, has sparked large-scale protests across West Bengal, with demonstrators mostly chanting “We want justice.” However, Azadi slogans have surfaced at some of the women’s rights rallies held in parallel, including “Reclaim the Night” marches.
The scale of the protests has caught the Trinamool Congress off guard, with even some party leaders expressing sympathy with the public outcry. Jawahar Sircar, a Trinamool MP, resigned from both the party and Parliament in protest.
The emergence of Kashmir-related slogans has offered the ruling party an opportunity to counter the narrative, aligning with their earlier claim that the protests are being influenced by Leftist groups.
