Women in Kolkata and various regions of Bengal will take to the streets around midnight today to protest the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The incident has deeply shocked the nation and sparked widespread protests. Doctors at medical colleges and hospitals across the country have called for increased security in response to the incident.
The protest, set to start at 11:55 tonight, is being termed as “For women’s independence on the midnight of independence.” Posters with the protest locations are circulating on social media, with new sites being added as more participants from the state suburbs join in. Named “Women, reclaim the night,” the protest is also taking place in several other cities. In Delhi, a gathering is planned outside Gate No. 2 of AIIMS.
Previously, “reclaim the night” protests were held across the country following the 2012 gang-rape and murder in Delhi.
How It All Started?
Bengali media reports indicate that researcher Rimjhim Sinha was the first to call for a “reclaim the night” protest in response to the RG Kar incident. In a Facebook post, she had written, “I have heard that Principal of RG Kar has said the doctor should not have wandered alone at night. I will be outside at 11.55 pm for my freedom. I will do what I want. I am not ready to listen to ‘night is not safe for women’, ‘the dress is not safe’ and ‘the women does not have a good character’. I will spend the night outdoors.”
Dr. Sandip Ghosh, the former Principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, who was criticized by the Calcutta High Court for his lack of action after the doctor was found dead on campus, had previously denied making such remarks.
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In a Facebook post, Rimjhim Sinha invited people to join her near a bus stand in Jadavpur. She did not anticipate the overwhelming response. What started as a single location has now expanded to three, with attendance exceeding 300 and reaching beyond state borders. Men are also participating to show their support for the cause, and many celebrities have announced they will join the protests tonight.
Asked if she had expected her call will get such response, Rimjhim told Anandabazar Patrika, “Kolkata sends a message of protest after any such incident. With that in mind, I had put out a post after speaking to friends and acquaintances. I had expected some of them to come. But I had no clue it would take this form.”
Who Is Joining?
Among the tens of thousands expected to join the protest are several celebrities, including actors Swastika Mukherjee and Churni Ganguly, filmmakers Srijit Mukherji, Kaushik Ganguly, and Pratim D Gupta, as well as singer Iman Chakraborty. They have urged people to attend the midnight gathering at the most convenient location and are anticipated to participate in the large-scale protest.
In response to the protests, Kolkata Metro has announced plans to run additional trains due to numerous requests. Additionally, Kolkata Bus-o-pedia will provide free bus service for women on various routes across the city tonight.
A History of Reclaim The Night Protests
A Take Back the Night rally was first organized in Philadelphia, USA, in 1975 following the murder of Susan Alexander Speeth, a young microbiologist who was stabbed while walking home at night. Two years later, similar marches were held in Germany to protest violence against women. In 1977, women in Leeds organized a Reclaim the Night March in response to police advisories for women to stay indoors after dark due to a series of murders. Over the years, these protests have been held worldwide to address gender violence and challenge victim-blaming.
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