‘Politicians’ presence in protest march taints citizens’ movement’
Times of India | 3 October 2024
Kolkata: Organisers of apolitical protests against the RG Kar crime, who could inspire thousands of citizens to come out on the streets and reclaim the nights on the eve of Independence Day and that of the Supreme Court hearing, said politicians from the Left, Congress and ISF should not have been allowed in Tuesday’s march, called by junior doctors.
“Though CPM state secretary Md Salim, its former state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra, ISF MLA Nawsad Siddique, state Congress president Subhankar Sarkar did not carry their party flags, given their stature, their presence reflects the presence of their respective parties and is enough to taint the rally as political,” said Rimjhim Sinha, who gave the first call for ‘Reclaim the Night’ movement on the night of Aug 14. She said on that night, the common man had spontaneously came out in protest because of the movement’s non-partisan nature. “We have seen for ages that leading politicians from any party, who have been engaged in policy-making, have failed in ensuring women’s safety and gender rights. That is the reason citizens made it clear that known political faces were not welcome in this movement, given their incapability in addressing the demands raised in this movement,” said Sinha, adding that politicians’ participation in Tuesday’s rally could be an “attempt to put the issue into the party binary system”.
Gender activist Satabdi Das, another organizer of the movement, said, “Was it made clear to the citizens that well-known politicians will be present in the rally, which was essentially called a citizens’ rally? Was it made clear they wanted to see it as a rally of SFI, ISF, DYFI? If so, they should have made it clear to citizens. Based on the information, the common man could have decided whether they wanted to participate in it or not. When a rally is called a citizens’ rally and well-known politicians are seen walking along, it can no longer be apolitical. It will be politically appropriated.”