Kolkata: Film director Aparna Sen, prominent personalities from the Bengali film industry and rights activists on Sunday joined thousands of people in a massive rally demanding justice for a doctor who was raped-murdered at RG Kar hospital here last month.
At the end of the rally, the participants of the Mahamicchil squatted at the busy Esplanade area of the city, vowing to be there till 4 am on Monday morning to press upon the government for a swift probe into the heinous crime and arrest of the guilty.
As the protest continued well past midnight, the air was filled with revolutionary songs like "Karar Oi Louho Kopat", and "We Shall Overcome", among others.
Actor Debalina Mukherjee said, "Every passing day, the movement for justice will grow fiercer until all those responsible for the gruesome incident at R G Kar are punished. We understand that there is a legal process through the courts and the CBI, but we will wait until that process is complete."
Sunday night's protest was reminiscent of the "Women Reclaim The Night" event that was held on August 14 at midnight to demand justice for the postgraduate trainee doctor.
In addition to the 'Mahamichhil', two other rallies took place elsewhere in the city. While one was organised by the alumni of Ramakrishna Mission-run educational institutions, another involved students and past pupils from a well-known convent school, both echoing the demand for justice for the medic.
At the mega rally that kicked off at College Square on Sunday afternoon, Sen, accompanied by fellow artists such as Swastika Mukherjee, Sudipta Chakraborty, Chaiti Ghosal, Sohini Sarkar, and others, marched along Central Avenue demanding justice for the doctor.
The rallyists demanded that a representative from the ruling party or the state administration meet them to address their call for a swift investigation and the arrest of those involved.
Asked if they would remain there until 4 am, director Birsa Dasgupta told reporters, "We have sent a mail to the administration. We want someone to come and hold talks with us."
Actor Swastika Mukherjee added, "We know the CBI is investigating the case, but reports suggest there might be attempts to suppress certain details following the doctor's death. We need answers."
She added, "We will remain here till 4 am. The administration might think that the movement will lose momentum with the upcoming festive season, but it will resume and grow larger after the Puja. We understand that small business owners might be affected by this movement, but they are with us."
She continued, "So many days have passed since the August 9 incident. After the initial arrest, we have not received any further updates from the investigating agency. The hospital administration's first attempt to dismiss the death as a suicide, combined with only one arrest, has compelled the people of this state to take to the streets. We have united in our demand for justice."
Earlier at the start of the rally, Aparna Sen told reporters, "We are walking on the road together, demanding justice. If needed, I will hit the road again. Common people have the right to demand answers and know the truth."
A junior doctors' forum, which has been protesting since the R G Kar incident, also joined the rally. In south Kolkata, alumni of Ramakrishna Mission schools and other educational institutions marched from Golpark to Rabindra Sadan Exide Crossing carrying banners with the message 'Tamaso Ma Jyotirgamaya (Lead me from darkness to light) and demanded a fair, impartial investigation and the arrest of all those involved in the crime.
In another rally, around 300 alumni, along with current students and guardians from St. John's Diocesan Girls' Higher Secondary School, walked from Minto Park to the school compound before forming a human chain near Exide Crossing along A J C Bose Road. They also displayed a symbolic image of a spine with the slogan "Our spines are not up for sale" at the rally.
