By Subrata Nag Choudhury
KOLKATA, India - In a dramatic turn of events, protesters in Kolkata clashed with police as they demanded the resignation of a top state minister following the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor on August 9. The incident has sparked nationwide outrage, reminiscent of the 2012 gang-rape in New Delhi, highlighting the ongoing issue of sexual violence against women in India despite stricter laws.
The police crackdown on the protesters, led by university students, resulted in teargas and water cannon being used to disperse the crowd. The police had declared the protest illegal after the demonstrators broke through barricades set up along their route to the West Bengal state secretariat.
The 31-year-old doctor's case has led to a police volunteer being arrested, with the federal police taking over the investigation. Junior doctors across the country have refused to see non-emergency patients in solidarity with the victim, demanding justice and increased safety measures for women in hospitals.
India's Supreme Court has intervened by creating a hospital safety task force and urging protesting doctors to return to work. However, some doctors, particularly in West Bengal, have continued their protests, calling for the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
More than 5,000 policemen were deployed in Kolkata and neighboring Howrah as the protests escalated. The ruling Trinamool Congress Party blamed the violence on supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, who have backed the protesting students.
Despite denials from the state government, allegations of suppression of information regarding the rape and murder incident have further fueled tensions in Kolkata.
Analysis:
The protests in Kolkata highlight the deep-rooted issue of sexual violence against women in India, despite legislative efforts to address the problem. The demand for justice and increased safety measures for women in hospitals is a pressing issue that requires immediate attention from authorities.