The recent rape and murder of a female doctor on duty at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata has ignited widespread political outrage across India. The incident has led to mass protests by medical staff and doctors, raising pressing concerns about safety for women in the workplace.
In response, women in Kolkata are organizing a protest titled “The Night is Ours” on the night of August 14. The event aims to highlight the lack of true freedom for women in India, despite the country’s independence being celebrated on the midnight of August 14-15. Rimjhim Sinha, a sociology researcher and student at Presidency University, is coordinating the protest.
A poster for the event, featuring the phrase “The Night is Ours,” has gone viral on social media. Sinha expressed surprise at the poster’s widespread attention and stressed the importance of continuing the demand for justice to prevent further incidents. “I did not anticipate the poster would go viral, but I am pleased that our message is reaching people,” Sinha said.
Sinha also noted her previous activism, including support for friends who filed complaints during the Me-Too movement and organizing a night protest in Jadavpur in 2018 against the murder and burning of a doctor in Cyberabad. The protest seeks to unite people across political lines and emphasize the need for safety and justice for women.