Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday granted permission to the West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to hold a five-day sit-in protest near the Shyambazar Metro station. The protest, set to begin on 21st August, is in response to the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The state government had initially opposed the extended duration of the protest, arguing that it should be limited to a single day to avoid disruption to the public. The counsel representing the government expressed concerns that a longer demonstration could cause significant inconvenience to residents and commuters. On the other hand, the BJP sought permission to protest for six days.
After hearing submissions from both sides, Justice Rajarshi Bhardwaj allowed the BJP to proceed with a five-day protest. The court, however, imposed conditions, including a cap of 300 participants per day and restricting the protest timings from 12 noon to 9 pm. The designated protest site is located approximately half a kilometre from RG Kar Medical College.
The protest is part of the widespread outrage following the alleged rape and murder of a post-graduate trainee doctor on 9th August while she was on duty at the state-run hospital. The incident led to the arrest of one suspect the following day. In response, doctors across India have held protests, demanding justice for the victim’s family and calling for enhanced workplace safety laws for medical professionals. The investigation was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the case from the Kolkata Police last week.
Supreme Court Criticises State Government’s Handling of the Case
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Tuesday rebuked the Mamata Banerjee government for initially labelling the murder a suicide and delaying crucial actions. The court’s sharp remarks were accompanied by the formation of a 10-member task force to assess the safety of doctors in hospitals nationwide.
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