Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Kolkata and other Indian cities to condemn the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The tragic incident has sparked widespread outrage and ignited a wave of demonstrations across India, demanding better safety measures for women.
The protests, which began in more than 100 locations across Kolkata, quickly spread to surrounding towns in West Bengal and other cities across the nation. In a powerful display of solidarity, large crowds of women and men marched under the slogan “reclaim the night,” with a candlelight rally at midnight coinciding with India’s Independence Day celebrations on Thursday.
Protesters held handwritten signs bearing messages such as “We want justice” and “Hang the rapist, save the women,” reflecting the public's frustration and demand for swift action against the perpetrators of such heinous crimes.
In response to the incident, junior doctors across India launched a strike earlier this week, suspending all services except emergency departments. They sat outside hospitals in protest, calling for justice for the victim and demanding stronger security measures for medical professionals.
“Doctors nationwide are questioning what is so difficult about enacting a law for our security,” said Dhruv Chauhan of the Indian Medical Association’s Junior Doctors’ Network, indicating that the strike would continue until their demands were formally addressed.
The protests have also sparked a broader conversation about women’s safety in India, with demonstrators like Shalini Datta emphasizing the need for women to feel safe at all times. “Every night, women should have this freedom and choice to go out, so that in future no girl child’s parents have to think in case it gets late in the evening, whether their child shall return home safe or not,” she told The Telegraph.
Tanushree Das, who attended one of the rallies with her daughter, echoed this sentiment, saying, “I believe the night is not just for men to enjoy, women also have equal rights. We have come out to claim this space for ourselves so that women no longer have a sense of fear associated with nights.”
The protests highlight the ongoing struggle for women's safety in India and the urgent need for action to address violence against women. The demand for justice in this case has united people across the country, as they continue to fight for a safer and more equitable society.
