With the entire state enraged over the rape and murder of a young doctor from RG Kar, people took to the streets at Independence Day midnight in protest to assert their presence. Thousands of people joined the protests, not just in West Bengal but also in Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune.
The mass mobilisation drew an overwhelming reaction from the victim's father.
Speaking to ABP Ananda, he said: "I want to say one thing to everyone: we lost one daughter, but gained the support of millions. These millions of daughters, I believe, will stand by me until justice is served. They are all like my own daughter. And the men who took to the streets, they are like my sons."
He added: "It would be unjust of me to thank them because I never thanked my own daughter! I completely support them. I couldn't protect my daughter, but I hope I can protect them, as long as they continue to stand by me like this."
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Midnight Protest Across Bengal
On Wednesday night at 11:55 PM, women across the state called for a mass gathering in protest of the RG Kar incident. The rallying cry was "Girls, claim the night, the night is yours." Their demand was "Justice for RG Kar". Men too joined them and took to the streets in various parts of Kolkata and in other parts of the state and the country.
The brutal atrocity inflicted on a medical student at a government hospital has left everyone horrified, reminding the country of the Delhi gang-rape case of 2012 and raising serious questions about the role of the authorities. The investigation has been handed over to the CBI. While one accused was arrested, questions have been raised if more accused were involved.
The civil society has collectively condemned the incident, culminating in the massive turnout on Wednesday night.
However, chaos erupted during the protest at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital at midnight. Barricades were broken and the hospital was vandalised. As the incident occurred in the presence of the police, questions are being raised if the miscreants were deployed to divert attention from the protest. Nine persons have been arrested in connection with the incident.