Bengal bandh tomorrow: Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Kolkata on Tuesday afternoon, launching the ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ from two different locations across the city. The demonstrators were united in their demand for the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, as well as the immediate arrest of those responsible for the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The protesters pointed fingers at the Chief Minister, holding her accountable for the government’s failure to ensure the safety and security of women in the state. They argued that this lapse in governance directly contributed to the tragic incident at RG Kar Hospital, which has triggered a wave of anger and grief across the nation.
As the protest gained momentum, it underscored the mounting public frustration with the state’s handling of women’s safety issues, further intensifying the pressure on the administration to act swiftly and decisively in the wake of the RG Kar tragedy. The protesters vowed to continue their agitation until their demands are met, signalling that the outcry over the incident is far from over. The rally, organised by student platform ‘Chhatrasamaj’ and ‘Sangrami Joutha Mancha’ of state government employees, began from two locations – College Square in north Kolkata and Santragachi in Howrah.
Why has Bengal bandh been called?
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has declared a 12-hour bandh on Wednesday (August 28) in West Bengal over the rape and murder of the trainee doctor. The bandh has been called to demand Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s resignation and to protest against police action on participants marching to the state secretariat. Sukanta Majumdar, the President of Bengal BJP, urged residents to participate in the general strike, scheduled to take place from 6 AM to 6 PM on August 28. In his announcement, Majumdar strongly condemned the recent incident, labelling it a serious threat to public safety. He demanded prompt and decisive action from the state authorities, emphasising the urgent need to address the growing concerns over security in West Bengal.
Kolkata doctor rape-murder case
It is pertinent here that a postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at the hospital on August 9. Later, the semi-naked body of the 32-year-old woman was found in the seminar hall of the government-run hospital in Kolkata. A civic volunteer was arrested in connection with the crime the next day. Following this, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe into the case from the Kolkata Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
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