Amid heavy rains in the city, the state committees of SFI (Students’ Federation of India), DYFI (Democratic Youth Federation of India), AIDWA (All India Democratic Women’s Association), and members of Ganotantrik Mahila Samiti, took out a rally from College Street and proceeded towards Kolkata Police headquarters, at Lalbazar.
According to them, DYFI state secretary Minakshi Mukherjee and six left leaders and activists have been summoned by Lalbazar along with a notice in connection with the vandalism at the state-run RG Kar Hospital on the night of August 14. They are being “implicated in a false case”, the organisations have claimed. Those summoned participated in the protest march along with their lawyers.
“The people of the state are not taking it well, the attempt to hide the criminals. For the last 13 years, the Leftists have been harassed by the police. But our fight for justice will continue. Leftists are not afraid,” said Minakshi.
Police, however, put up barricades to stop the march mid-way. Meanwhile, the protesters during their more than two hour rally, shouted slogans demanding justice for the 31-year-old doctor who was found raped and murdered at R G Kar Hospital, earlier this month, along with prompt punishment for those accused. They also demanded the resignation of the health minister and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The Kolkata police had on last Saturday summoned several Left leaders, including DYFI’s Bengal secretary Minakshi Mukherjee, and six other state level youth and student leaders of the CPIM, in connection with the case of vandalism at RG Kar medical college and hospital on August 14 night.
CM Mamata Banerjee, who blamed the BJP and the CPIM for the attack, had said, “It was not done by the students (doctors). I don’t blame them. Some outsider political people want to create unrest in Bengal. Bam and Ram (BJP and Left) united to do this. They went to take advantage of the protest. They don’t want peace. Those who carried the national flag in the movement were BJP. Apart from this, DYFI flags were also seen.”’
Click here to join The Indian Express on WhatsApp and get latest news and updates