Kolkata: Advocate Noor Mahvish, Editor Mahasweta Samajdar, and Professor Nousheen Baba Khan have one thing in common: along with their professions, they are activists who have taken to the streets multiple times seeking justice for the raped and murdered trainee doctor from RG Kar Medical College. They have unequivocally condemned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its affiliates for their violent protests and bandhs, believing that the saffron brigade has undermined their nationwide efforts against crime against women.
On Tuesday, August 27, Student Samaj, a right-wing student union backed by the BJP, organized the Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan to demand justice in the RG Kar rape and murder case. The BJP-supported student wing demanded the resignation of Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and marched to Nabanna, the Bengal government’s secretariat. When stopped, the protesters attacked policemen with stones and vandalized government property. The violence resulted in serious injuries, including the permanent loss of eyesight for young Kolkata Police officer Debasish Chakraborty, and several others were critically injured. Consequently, the protesting junior doctors at RG Kar Medical College condemned the violence and clarified that they did not want the Chief Minister to resign.
However, BJP did not stop here and called for a 12-hour Bengal bandh on August 28. The two consecutive days of violent protest and bandh have disrupted civic life and schools where exams are going on.
The female protesters, who had participated in several rallies over the past two weeks, succeeded in having the case handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and drawing the Supreme Court of India’s attention. The accused, Sanjay Roy, was arrested within 24 hours, and Sandip Ghosh, the principal, was removed. A Special Investigation Team was also constituted to investigate financial irregularities at the medical college. They expressed shock at the politicization of the issue and the shifting momentum away from addressing rape culture in India.
Women Should Not Be Used as Political Tools
Noor Mahvish reacted, “As a woman actively involved in a two-week peaceful protest against rape and systemic gender-based violence, I am deeply troubled by the recent events in Bengal. What began as a peaceful, silent demonstration was abruptly disrupted and turned violent following a call from BJP-RSS affiliates. Many student groups, aware of the BJP’s history of escalating peaceful protests into violent spectacles for political gain, had previously cautioned against participating in the August 27 protest organized by the BJP wing,”
Noor, who also participated in the CAA-NRC protest, recalled. “The BJP-RSS lobby has a history of disrupting such movements. During the student protests in Delhi over the CAA, a criminal named Ram Gopal Bhakt opened fire on students advocating for their democratic rights and citizenship, injuring one. Similarly, during the Shaheen Bagh protests, a prominent BJP leader incited violence with slogans like ‘Goli Maro Salon Ko’ to undermine the women’s demonstration against discriminatory laws.”
“The BJP has numerous members accused of sexual violence, yet these individuals remain in positions of power. This troubling pattern of using violent tactics to advance political agendas has now extended to Bengal, where the party’s actions have escalated a peaceful protest into chaos to further their political objectives. Women should not be used as political tools; their rights and safety are fundamental and essential,” the advocate added.
BJP Has No Business in Holding Any Protest Against Rape Culture
Mahasweta Samajdar stated, “Tuesday’s BJP rally was a clear attempt to hijack the people’s movement we had been advancing for almost 20 days. Earlier, we observed several attempts by the authorities to obscure the inquiry, and people are furious at the state government. We, from Reclaim the Night, Reclaim the Rights (Raat Dokhol, Adhikar Dokhol) movement participated in several rallies and human chains to mark our protest. We do not demand the resignation of the CM but rather accountability from her regarding the matter.”
Mahasweta mentioned, “The BJP, fully aware of its lack of credibility in protests against rape or atrocities against women, organized yesterday’s rally in the name of students to fulfill their political agenda.”
“I believe the BJP planned to incorporate violence into the rally to gain political advantage, which could have been avoided. We must remember these are the people who garlanded the rapists of Bilkis Bano, who marched with the national flag in support of the rapists of Unnao, and who failed to act against Brijbhushan Singh, who sexually exploited medal-winning wrestlers,” she added.
Student Samaj Protesters Were Misogynists; Our Fight Is Against Such Mentality
Nousheen Baba Khan claimed, “The recent Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan by the so-called ‘Student Samaj’ has exposed a troubling undercurrent in our society, highlighting deep-seated misogyny, double standards, and political manipulation. A viral video from the protest captured an elderly man, referred to as ‘Kaku,’ hurling the slur ‘Churi Pore Boshe Thakuk Era’ at the Kolkata Police, implying they should ‘wear bangles and sit,’ a phrase used to demean and insult. This phrase, often weaponized during protests, is a stark reminder of how society twists symbols of femininity, like bangles, into markers of cowardice. Even women, who are often the targets of such gendered insults, perpetuate this mindset, complicating the fight for equality. The issue is not just the slur but the deeply ingrained hypocrisy that allows such language to flourish. It’s the same hypocrisy that sees a woman at the rally using derogatory terms like ‘son of a whore’ to insult, while conveniently ignoring the stigma-free status of men who engage with sex workers. Such double standards divert attention from the real issues, like the unresolved case at RG Kar, where justice is still awaited for a female doctor who was allegedly raped even after her death.”
She further said, “This protest also reflects a disturbing trend where political agendas overshadow genuine causes. The so-called ‘student protest’ was marked by the conspicuous absence of actual students, replaced instead by middle-aged men, and a glaring lack of women participants. In a state known for its critical thinking and intellectual prowess, this is a disheartening sight.”
“The policemen were beaten badly, and one of the officers lost vision in one of his eyes. The irony of demanding justice for one uniform while ignoring the violence against another is lost on many, revealing a deep hypocrisy. The BJP, though not the strongest opposition in Bengal, has managed to turn this protest into a national spectacle, drawing attention for all the wrong reasons. Other political parties have wisely distanced themselves, and even the RG Kar doctors had to clarify their non-involvement. In a world where authoritarianism is on the rise, the massive participation in this protest—ostensibly for women’s safety—feels like a cynical exploitation of a serious issue for political gain. The people of Bengal, however, are not easily fooled and are likely assessing this situation with the critical eye for which they are known,” the professor pointed out.
Bandh is a Sinister Attempt to Dilute Our Movement; CBI Should Focus on the Murder Case
The protesting doctors are the angriest about the politicization of the rape and murder of their colleague.
“We want justice for the trainee doctor who was violated and murdered, but that is not happening. Political parties calling for bandhs or hitting the streets is an attempt to weaken the doctors’ movement,” said Dr Sourav Bhakat to eNewsroom. Dr Sourav is an ex-student of RG Kar Medical College Hospital and is protesting alongside junior doctors at RG Kar.
Doctors are unhappy with the CBI’s progress and have even termed President Draupadi Murmu’s comments as mere lip service.
“CBI is yet to bring out its report. People have already started to highlight the corruption charges against the former principal. But what about progress in the rape and murder investigation? We believe that the corruption case is also an attempt to dilute the charges against the accused. We doctors are very clear that we are seeking justice for our colleague and are not aligned with any political party. This is a people’s movement; please don’t dilute the momentum.”
“Yesterday, the President spoke about women’s safety, but these are just words. Nothing is being done to deliver justice to the victim,” rued Dr Sourav.
