Kolkata Demands Action After RG Kar Tragedy

Kolkata – A City of Sadness

On August 9, Kolkata changed for the worse. A city that prides itself on celebrating the power of womanhood and femininity through the five-day Durga Puja festival woke to the news of a 31-year-old PG trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College Hospital found dead in the hospital seminar hall.

Her autopsy confirmed that she was raped and murdered.

The gruesome killing of the young woman now called Abhaya has shaken Kolkata to its core, exposing the deep-seated fears and demands for safety among its women.

In the wake of this tragedy, Kolkata, often called the City of Joy, has felt like a different place. The vibrant spirit that once defined it has been overshadowed by a pervasive sense of alienation and fear. The city has witnessed midnight marches and widespread public outcry, and among the swelling protests are voices of women from various walks of life, echoing a shared call for reform.

Voices of women

Dr. Jasodhara Chaudhuri, a senior consultant neurologist practicing in Kolkata, urged the need for systemic reform. “Educate your boys, regardless of your social status, to respect women. Education must start at home,” she insisted. Dr. Chaudhuri highlighted that safety measures should include comprehensive security at workplaces and night-time safety, such as CCTV coverage and trained security personnel.

Reflecting on her own experiences as a resident, Chaudhuri noted that security issues have long plagued medical institutions. “As a single woman working night shifts, we had to navigate the hospital premises with a degree of trust in our patients and their families. However, this trust should not replace effective security measures.”

Celebrated actress Mumtaz Sorcar, whose film Putul was screened at Cannes 2024, voiced her frustration with the current state of justice and security. “The RG Kar incident is not an isolated case; it highlights the pervasive corruption and systemic issues. The suggestion that the rape was part of a cover-up trivializes the issue,” she said. Sorcar called for stricter laws and the removal of political influence from justice. “Our legal system has the frameworks but often fails due to loopholes exploited by criminals. We need to eliminate political corruption to ensure that justice is served and that crimes are dealt with swiftly and effectively.”

“As a public figure, as a woman, as someone who possibly needs to be out and about even at odd hours throughout the day, I feel the laws have to be stricter. We genuinely need to remove politics from justice,” she stated.

Fear for women’s safety

Pranati Sur, a fashion designer who divides her time between Kolkata and the U.S., shared her fears about the incident. “As a mother, this case has triggered deep fear and insecurity about the environment our children are growing up in.” She voiced the need for a safe environment for women and urgent measures such as Fast-Track Courts for rape cases. “We need stringent punishments for criminals and a robust judicial system to protect our daughters and ensure their safety,” she added.

Surabhi Joshi, a concerned parent, whose daughter is studying medicine reflected on the impact of the RG Kar incident on her daughter’s future. “My daughter worked hard to enter a prestigious medical institution, but now I worry about her safety during night shifts,” she said. Joshi stressed the importance of maintaining hospitals as safe havens for healthcare professionals. “The hospital should be a place of safety, not a site of fear.”

What do we teach young women?

“From a young age, girls are taught to harden themselves against unwanted attention,” explained Soumya Choudhuri, a teacher and the mother of a teenage daughter. “It’s disheartening that I must teach my 13-year-old the same lessons. We need to address these issues at their root and implement stringent laws to prevent such tragedies.”

Sohini Datta, a social commentator highlighted the broader societal issues underlying the violence against women. “The RG Kar case exposes a shocking reality: women are unsafe even in their workplaces,” she observed. She demanded systemic change to challenge patriarchal culture and ensure women’s right to respect and safety. “The movement for justice must be part of a larger effort to transform our social fabric and eradicate violence against women,” she said.

Safety & justice at risk

Safety issues concern women in all sections of society. The incident has intensified the fears of Lakkhi, a house help. “We are terrified to go out; there is fear everywhere,” she said. “As poor people, we have no choice but to rely on government hospitals when we are unwell. We need more police presence to feel safe and secure. If there were more officers, we would feel less afraid,” she confided.

The RG Kar Medical College case has amplified the voices of Kolkata’s women, each calling for a collective effort to enhance safety and justice. As the countdown to the city’s biggest festival inches closer a sense of collective shame has been driving calls for more subdued celebrations. Will the powers that be heed the demands of women for systemic change to offer more safety measures that will protect them while ensuring that perpetrators of such horrific incidents are held accountable?

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