Hyderabad: Veteran Bollywood actor Shabana Azmi has voiced her deep concern over the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata. Speaking to the media, Azmi expressed her dismay that such heinous acts have not reduced despite the formation of the Justice Verma Committee in 2012 following the Nirbhaya case. Speaking with the media after attending an event in Pune, Shabana urged people to stop treating women as commodities and end deep-rooted patriarchy.
President Droupadi Murmu also reacted strongly, condemning the rising tide of violence against women. In an open letter, Murmu urged a collective introspection and called for the dismantling of the mindset that views women as inferior or as objects. She highlighted the need for systemic changes to ensure safety and security for women.
"The gruesome incident of rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata has left the nation shocked. I was dismayed and horrified when I came to hear of it. What is more depressing is the fact that it was not the only incident of its kind; it is part of a series of crimes against women. Even as students, doctors and citizens were protesting in Kolkata, criminals remained on the prowl elsewhere. The victims include even kindergarten girls. No civilised society can allow daughters and sisters to be subjected to such atrocities. The nation is bound to be outraged, and so am I," she said.