R G Kar rape-murder: Sculpture for victim unveiled, rally to be held on Mahalaya by junior doctors

“It is an emotional moment for us,” said a junior doctor. “She was our colleague. We have been fighting for her. She is in our heart, but this installation will ensure no one ever forgets her.”

Meanwhile, as Kolkata prepares for Durga Puja, doctors are intensifying their calls for justice. The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front (WBJDF) has reportedly organised a major rally, calling for “all walks of society” to join on Wednesday. The date coincides with Mahalaya, which marks the beginning of the festival. The rally will begin at College Square and culminate at Esplanade, where an “assembly” will gather.

A statement by the WBJDF read, “From the very first day of our movement, we have demanded the elimination of the politics of fear from every hospital and medical college in the state… Yet, we see no goodwill from the state government on this front. No inquiry committees have been established against the heads of the current threat syndicate in healthcare, and no initiatives have been taken by the government to form elected student councils in colleges… Senior doctors, various organisations of nurses, doctors from private hospitals, IT worker organisations, various groups from the film industry, and other social organisations have also expressed their support for our program.”

“Let our protest continue for justice for Abhaya, for a healthy, people-oriented, fear-free healthcare system, and above all, to eliminate the politics of fear from society,” added a junior doctor.