The incident has sparked a nationwide outrage, leading to widespread protests and disrupting hospital services across several Indian cities. An autopsy confirmed that the doctor was raped before being murdered. Thousands of doctors and citizens marched in Kolkata and other cities, demanding justice for the victim and improved security measures. As the country prepares to mark the 78th year of Independence, a massive protest is planned for the evening of August 14, with people of all genders, political leaders, and citizenry uniting to demand justice and safety for women in India.

Details on the Kolkata rape and murder case:

The family of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital shared their harrowing experience in an interview with Lallantop, recounting the traumatic events following the tragedy on August 9. The family alleged that hospital authorities initially informed them that their daughter had died by suicide and made them wait outside for three hours before they were allowed them to see her body.

In the interview, the trainee doctor’s father also recalled receiving a call from the hospital, where they were told that their daughter had died by suicide and urged to come immediately. Despite their pleas to see her, they were forced to wait for hours. After the long wait of three hours outside the seminar hall, the father was finally permitted to view his daughter’s body and was allowed to take a photo. He shared that she was unclothed, with her legs positioned unnaturally apart, a condition that suggested severe trauma to the pelvic region, indicating she had been violently assaulted.

According to a report in India Today, the post-mortem report confirmed that the trainee doctor had been subjected to “genital torture.” The report further revealed that the accused, Sanjoy Roy, had struck her with such force that her glasses shattered, and the shards caused severe injuries to her eyes. She had bleeding from her eyes, mouth, and private parts, along with injuries to her face, abdomen, neck, left leg, right hand, and lips. After this brutal assault, the accused killed her by strangulation and smothering. Her death was estimated to have occurred between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. on that Friday.

On August 14, the case took a another turn as Left-wing groups and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital authorities of attempting to tamper with evidence. The CPI(M)-affiliated Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and Students’ Federation of India (SFI) highlighted that renovation work had suspiciously begun near the seminar room where the doctor’s body was found just days earlier. Protestors gathered at the hospital’s Emergency building gate, accusing the authorities of trying to destroy evidence and protect those truly responsible.

Tempering of evidence started in the name of renovation in the chest department at nearly 20m from crime scene.please help #MedTwitter pic.twitter.com/o45EM6Agyu

— Dr levocetrizine (@ManiBhu12096219) August 13, 2024

Additionally, the Hindustan Times reported that a doctor from the Left-affiliated Joint Forum of Doctors claimed the post-mortem report suggested the possibility that the victim had been raped by multiple individuals.

Investigation into the RG Kar Medical College and the scams running under its principal:

It is essential to note that on the same day of the incident, Sandip Ghosh, the principal of RG Kar Medical College, had resigned from his position. In his resignation, Ghosh stated, “I am being defamed on social media. False accusations are being spread against me, and students are being provoked to demand my removal. The deceased doctor was like my child, and I want justice for her. As a parent, I am stepping down.” However, following his resignation, he was reassigned as the principal of Calcutta National Medical College (CNMC) within a few hours.

On the other hand, more shocking news came as an independent investigation conducted by the Times of India uncovered numerous issues within RG Kar Medical College and Hospital under Sandip Ghosh’s leadership. One such issue was the “regular practice” of facilitating beds at the hospital for financially struggling patients from nearby nursing homes, but only in exchange for a fee.

As per the investigation, ex-principal Ghosh was well-connected with the local police station, maintaining close relationships with both junior and senior officers stationed at the hospital’s police outpost. According to a source at the hospital, he frequently collaborated with a particular junior officer to run this operation, ensuring that the money collected from desperate patients was distributed through an organized network. The TOI report stated that although Ghosh was technically part of the police welfare cell and his role at RG Kar involved assisting those admitted to the hospital, he had no official responsibilities at the police outpost. Nonetheless, he visited the outpost regularly and was heavily involved in various dubious activities. He was reportedly “at the centre of a racket involving touts who charged patients for various unethical services, such as securing multiple visiting cards, hospital beds, and priority in medical tests”.

The TOI report further provided that a source at the hospital revealed that Ghosh would target well-off patient relatives at RG Kar Hospital, luring them to nearby nursing homes by promising better treatment, often claiming that the same hospital doctors would treat them there. Additionally, he frequently boasted about his connections with senior Kolkata Police officers, even going so far as to pressure a district reserve officer to secure him a spot in the fourth battalion barracks at Bidhannagar.

Additionally, the report stated that Ghosh was known for name-dropping influential police officers to get what he wanted. He was also accused of riding a motorcycle with “KP” (Kolkata Police) written on the visor and duping young job seekers by promising them jobs in the police force in exchange for a fee. Reportedly, one source alleged that he took over Rs 2 lakh from a hawker, promising him a position as a civic volunteer.

Other than this, since the news of the incident at RG Kar Hospital broke out, which reportedly serves over 3,500 patients daily, the overworked trainee doctors gave their narration of how some of the doctors are required to work up to 36 hours straight at a hospital that lacked designated restrooms. As a result, they were forced to rest in a seminar room on the third floor.

 Calcutta High Court expresses concern while shifting probe to CBI:

On August 13, the Calcutta High Court ordered that the criminal investigation into the incident be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), signalling the case’s importance at a national level. A division bench comprising Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya questioned the state government after it was revealed that the police had initially recorded the deceased’s death as a suicide, which was communicated to her parents, who were made to wait for hours before being allowed to see her body.

As per a report in the LiveLaw, during the proceedings, the bench had remarked “If it is a fact that somebody called the parent and told them that it was sickness and then suicide, there is a miss somewhere. If this is true that they were made to wait and mislead then the administration is loitering with them. You cannot treat the deceased like this. There should be more sensitivity. Suppose the doctors are made parties and they claim that the principal blamed the deceased and said she had psychosis, it is very serious. By now a statement should have been recorded from the principal.”

According to LiveLaw, the Court expressed concern over these events, particularly noting that if the principal resigned due to moral responsibility, it was troubling that he was reassigned to another position within 12 hours. The Court questioned, “No man is above law, how did he step down and then be rewarded with another responsibility? The principal is the guardian of all doctors working there, if he doesn’t show any empathy who will show? He should be at home not working anywhere. So powerful that a government counsel is representing him? The principal will not function. Let him go on long leave. Otherwise, we will pass an order.”

Later that day, the division bench issued an order expressing concern that the police had registered the case as an unnatural death. The Court criticized the principal and the college authorities for not taking any substantial steps to aid the investigation and ordered that the principal be placed on indefinite leave until further notice. Recognizing that under normal circumstances, a report from the state police would be sufficient, the Court acknowledged the unusual nature of the case and agreed with the victim’s parents that any further delay could result in the destruction of evidence.

In its order, the bench noted that “The parents of the victim have an apprehension that if the investigation is allowed to continue in this manner, it will derail. Therefore they pray for extraordinary relief. One more disturbing aspect is that a case of unnatural death was registered. It is submitted that such cases are registered when there is no complaint. When the deceased was a doctor in the same hospital, it is surprising why the principal did not lodge a complaint. There has been no significant progress in the investigation. The administration was not with the victim or her family. The principal has not even given a statement. Without significant progress in the investigation, we would be well justified in accepting the prayers by the victim’s parents that evidence would be destroyed. Therefore, we transfer the investigation to the CBI to do justice between parties and to inspire public confidence.” (Para 30)

Thus, the bench of the Calcutta High Court handed over the investigation to the CBI and listed the matter for further hearing after three weeks.

The complete order can be read here.

Notably, a special CBI team from Delhi had reached Kolkata on August 14 to investigate the rape-murder case.

कोलकाता के मेडिकल कॉलेज में दाखिल होती #CBI की टीम. लोगों ने लगाए “We want justice” के नारे.
#KolkataDctorDeath #BengalHorror
#JusticeForMoumita pic.twitter.com/lJwZTuqjeF

— Arvind Sharma (@sarviind) August 14, 2024

Protests by doctors:

In the city of Kolkata, following the news of the horrific crime, the medical community erupted in protests. On August 12, around 6 p.m., thousands of doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, and others gathered at RG Kar Medical College, holding placards demanding justice for the victim. The protesting doctors, who were calling for the resignation of the principal and other senior officials of the college, were further outraged by the decision to reassign Sandip Ghosh to another institution immediately after his resignation. They vowed not to allow Ghosh to assume his new role as principal of Calcutta National Medical College (CNMC). Later, doctors and students from CNMC organized a rally to RG Kar, demanding Ghosh’s removal from his new post.

ON DUTY RESIDENT DOCTOR WAS RAPED & MURDERED IN COLLEGE SEMINAR HALL IN RG KAR MEDICAL COLLEGE, #Kolkata

Justice for Victim #justice #JusticeForMoumita #KolkataDoctorDeat #Udaipur #Rajasthan #DoctorDeath #DoctorsProtest pic.twitter.com/lXhrGj0n2m

— Nursing Student (@StudentNursing7) August 13, 2024

On the streets for justice. #kolkatahorror #RGKarHospital pic.twitter.com/rXFuIpvvhj

— Doctor (@DipshikhaGhosh) August 14, 2024

On August 12, several government-run hospitals initiated an indefinite strike. The Federation of Resident Doctors Association also called for a nationwide suspension of elective services in hospitals starting Monday.

Protests spread across India on August 13, with over 8,000 government doctors in Maharashtra halting work in all hospital departments except for emergency services, as reported by local media. In Kolkata, emergency services were suspended on August 13 in almost all government-run medical college hospitals, according to state official NS Nigam, who told Reuters that the government was evaluating the impact on health services.

In New Delhi, junior doctors wearing white coats protested outside a major government hospital, holding posters that read, “Doctors are not punching bags.” Top hospitals in Delhi, including AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital, RML Hospital, Indira Gandhi Hospital Dwarka, PGIMS, and Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital, continued their strike on August 14. The management of these hospitals announced they would maintain their strike, demanding legislation to ensure the safety of healthcare workers.

In light of horrific incident involving brutal murder & assault of our colleague in Kolkata, @AIIMSRDA have made difficult decision to suspend all elective services until justice is served
We urgently call for enhanced safety measures in workplace to protect us.#RGKarHospital pic.twitter.com/bxNkoGypO8

— Dr RishiRS (AIIMS ND) (@DrRishiRajSinh1) August 12, 2024

Similar protests affected hospital services in other cities, such as Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, and in Goa.

Yesterday Biggest Massive protest of AIIMS #RISHIKESH Doctors in support of #RGKAR medical college Victim ..

Demands – Quick strict actions on Culprits & Central protection act for avoid further such inhuman Crime .#KolkataDoctorDeath #kolkatahorror #Nirbhaya2 #medtwitter pic.twitter.com/XAlAoVg3ma

— Indian Doctor (@Indian__doctor) August 14, 2024

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), the country’s largest doctors’ organization, sent a letter to Health Minister JP Nadda on August 13, highlighting the “pedestrian working conditions, inhuman workloads, and workplace violence” that healthcare workers face. They met with him for talks later that day.

In response to the widespread unrest, India’s medical education regulator, the National Medical Commission, issued a notice to all medical institutions, calling for the installation of CCTV cameras in sensitive areas and the provision of adequate security staff. The notice, reported by newspapers on Tuesday, also recommended that all campus corridors be well-lit in the evening to ensure the safety of staff moving around the premises.

Protests by citizenry:

Women in Kolkata and across Bengal will take to the streets late night today in a massive show of defiance, marching against the violence that took one of their own. Women in thousands are preparing to take part in a powerful ‘Reclaim the Night’ march at midnight on August 14. This march, set to unfold just before India’s Independence Day on August 15, is a demand for the “independence to live in freedom and without fear”. The march will span at least 45 locations across Bengal, with the movement growing as more people from the suburbs join in, The Telegraph reported. Slogans like “Justice for RG Kar,” “The Night is Ours,” “Reclaim the Night,” and “Meyera Raat er Dhokhol Koro” (Women, seize the night) are being echoed across social media, and shared widely on WhatsApp, as a rallying cry for justice and change.

Posters detailing the protest locations are flooding social media, with new spots being added as more and more voices join the chorus. Men are also stepping up in large numbers, standing in solidarity with the women who are reclaiming their streets. Till now, there have been reports of several prominent figures, including actor Swastika Mukherjee, actor Churni Ganguly, and filmmaker Pratim D. Gupta, urging people to join the midnight gathering at whichever location is most accessible to them. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has given the city police a deadline until Sunday to complete the investigation. She has assured the victim’s family that if they desire, the state government will recommend a CBI probe, affirming that the government has nothing to hide.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Progressive Doctors’ League (@pdl_india)

The call for justice is not confined to the state of West Bengal. As the messages about the march spread on WhatsApp and other social media platforms, political leaders from both the ruling and opposition parties have pledged their support to this unprecedented, and thus far apolitical, movement. Demonstrations are already taking place in Kolkata, Guwahati, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. Protesters stand united, holding placards that read, “Justice needs to be served,” “No duty without security,” and “Justice delayed is justice denied.”

This wave of protests, marked by both anguish and determination, is a cry from the heart of a society that refuses to be silenced. It is a demand for safety, respect, and the right to live without fear, resonating far beyond the West Bengal.

pic.twitter.com/zjTi3Yheag

— Subhashini Ali (@SubhashiniAli) August 14, 2024

Bangalore, show up pic.twitter.com/LcoAzkqTNy

— Disha Ravi 𓆉 (@disharavii) August 14, 2024

Related:

India Cries for Freedom!

India’s flawed rape laws: a betrayal of equality

Bilkis Bano Case: Supreme Court strikes down remission for gang rape and murder convicts, citing flagrant violation of rule of law

Horrifying instances of rape in MP and Mahrashtra, accused booked under POCSO

The post India’s cry for justice: The brutal Kolkata rape-murder of a young doctor has ignited nationwide protests on the eve of the 78th Independence’s Day appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Protest marches took place in Kolkata over the weekend, seeking justice for slain student leader Anis Khan’s family. The family, according to news reports, has accused the police of being involved in the case.

On Saturday protesting students of Aliah University “fought a pitched battle” with the police in the city’s Park Circus area when their rally to protest Khan’s unnatural death was stopped from moving past a barricade in Padmapukur area, stated news reports. Around 500 protesters marched holding lit candles from the varsity campus in New Town to Entally to protest student leader Anish Khan’s death.

According to news reports, a section of protesters tried to move past the barricade put up by the police near Padmapukur and a fight broke out between the two sides. Police told the media that the situation was “quickly brought under control, though some of the protesters blocked a part of the road, bringing traffic to a grinding halt that evening.” The protesters told the media that they will take out another march to Nabanna on Tuesday.

Khan’s family and fellow activists have alleged that a few people, who were wearing “police uniforms”, entered Khan’s residence at Amta in Howrah on Friday night, and forcibly took him to the terrace and allegedly “pushed him down”. They stated that the student leader “was killed for trying to build an anti-establishment movement.”

West Bengal: A delegation of DYFI-SFI met the grieving family of Anish Khan, who had been killed allegedly by TMC backed goons on Friday night at his residence. #JusticeForAnish pic.twitter.com/akTCk3pc2v

— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) February 20, 2022

Anis Khan (26) hailed from Sarada South Khampara, and was an alumnus of Alia University where he earned an MBA degree. As a student of Bagnan College he was also an SFI activist, and was now a member of Indian Secular Front (ISF), a political party formed in West Bengal in January 2021. His family has alleged that four people came to their house late on Friday night and “one of them was wearing a police uniform.” The family claims that the men “went to arrest Anis” in connection with an old case. They accused the men of “pushing Anis from the third floor.”

According to local reports, Anis Khan was known as someone who would respond to anyone seeking help and had according to Anis’s family, a complaint of one such incident had been lodged at Bagnan police station when Anis was still a student. However they said that no summons were issued for so many years. 

On Friday Anis attended a party in the neighbourhood, and returned home at 1 A.M, his family told the media that the “police” allegedly raided his house at that time. Local portals reported that Anis’s father opened the door and was not aware that his son had returned home from the event and told the police that Anis was not at home. Allegedly, the group “pushed Anis’s father away and went up to the third floor,” as per some news portals. 

West Bengal: Anish Khan, a former student of Aliah University, a student activist and a strong critique of the Mamata Banerjee government, was killed at his residence last night. CPI(M) demands immediate identification and punishment of the perpetrators of this heinous crime. pic.twitter.com/K3AlFHOIkX

— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) February 19, 2022

Local activists also shared details a police complaint that had been filed by Anis Khan at Amta, Howrah, last year alleging “forcible closure of blood donation camps by the ruling party” and seeking “urgent action” to investigate “subsequent violence”.

The complaint in Bangla was translated by local activists to read thus: “ Sir, I am Anis Khan, a resident of Sarada Dakshin Khan Para village under Amta police station.

For your information, a blood donation camp was organised in our village on 22/5/21. On behalf of Public Health Protection and Rights, Uluberia Sub-Division Howrah. I was the main initiator of this initiative. Led by Malek Khan, the deputy head of the gram panchayat (Kushberia gram panchayat) and local Trinamool booth president, and his son Masood Khan, and some of their followers, I was publicly threatened that the blood donation camp could not be held, otherwise the result would be very bad. They ask me, “Why did our party get votes in this election other than the grassroots?” I have to take responsibility for that.” And keep threatening me. There are also many more false allegations.”

Anis’s complaint further says, “Then, at about 7 P.M that day, the men stormed my house and verbally abused me, my elderly father and the women of the house and one of my sisters, kicked me in the door and threatened to kill me. The next day he left me at home. Since then, those people have been continuously attacking…” He added, “My family and I are in a state of great insecurity and fear that they could kill me and my family any day.” He asked police to “take appropriate legal action against the assailants and take immediate action as required by you to ensure the safety of my entire family. The way they are following me, it is not possible for me to go to the police station, so I sent this letter of complaint through post.” 

This is an official police complaint made by Anis Khan against the ruling party last year. He clearly mentioned how he was threatened. Perhaps @dipalua_ can take some time to read this, and use is handle to name those threatening Anis. pic.twitter.com/vNhOWyOVde

— Aparna (@chhuti_is) February 19, 2022

He marked copies to: 1) SP (Howrah Rural) 2) BDO (Amta 2no) 3) SDPO (Uluberiya SD) 4) SDO (Uluberiya SD) 5) DM (Howrah) 6) Home Secretary (WB) 7) Governor (WB) BAPDR (WB State Committee) 9 Janaswasthya Surokhsha O Adhikar Mancha (Uluberiya SD., Howrah) 7) Chairperson, Human Rights Commission (WB) 6) Chairperson, Women Commission (WB) 29/5/21

Related:

Police crackdown on student protesters in Delhi, Kolkata
Open letter to our secular Muslim friends in India
Anti-CAA-NRC protests in UP: Horrors of a police-state

The post Kolkata: Student unions protest the alleged murder of activist Anis Khan appeared first on SabrangIndia.

He was invited to deliver a lecture on: two years of #BRDoxygenTragedy – continued victimization of Dr kafeel Khan by Uttar Pradesh government and to launch the West -Bengal chapter of ‘Health for All campaign’. 

Dr. Kafeel told the audience that the children in the BRD Hospital died as a result of stoppage of supply of liquid oxygen due to non-payment of dues to vendor by the Government. And in order to hide the inefficiency of the government, he was made a scape goat.

The Allahabad High Court categorically stated that there is no evidence of medical negligence against him and that he was not involved with oxygen tender. In reply to a RTI, the government also accepted that there was shortage of liquid oxygen for 54 hours in BRD medical College on 10^th, 11^th and 12^th of August 2017. And Dr Kafeel Khan indeed arranged jumbo oxygen cylinders to save the dying children.

The UP High court in its judgment on 30th April 2018 observed that there was shortage of liquid oxygen due to abrupt disruption of liquid oxygen supply due to non-payment of dues to the supplier.

He said that “the real culprits of #BRDOXYGENTRAGEDY massacre are those who received letters of dues from suppliers and their action should be thoroughly investigated to know the real facts and they should be removed from their post until pending enquiry including our Health ministers.”

“I demand CBI enquiry of BRD Oxygen tragedy and to move the case outside Uttar-Pradesh as those responsible for the massacre are still at helm and are heading the enquiry”.

Expressing his sympathy to the parents who lost their innocent children and are still awaiting justice, he said the government should apologize to them and also give compensation.

He shared the hard times he faced after his suspension and imprisonment which took a toll on him both emotionally and physically. He also spoke about the horrifying experience when an attempt was made on the life of his brother who was shot and the insensitive attitude of the UP police who tried their best to delay the emergency operation to remove the bullets by many hours.

The Hon’ble High Court in its order dated 07/03/19 has ordered the UP government to finish the enquiry within 90 days that is by 7th June 2019 and  the Hon’ble Supreme Court in his order dated 10/05/19 has ordered the UP government to pay all his suspension allowances dues of approximately 16 lacks

Dr. Khan said that his main concern is that government sponsored victimization of his family is still continued while he is struggling to survive, running from pillar to post for over 2 years now despite the orders of both the High Court and Supreme court. The Uttar Pradesh Government is neither paying his dues nor revoking his suspension subjecting him to a life of turmoil on a day to day basis.

He demanded that the CBI should investigate the matter and rule out any complicity of state officials.

Inaugurating the Kolkata chapter of ‘Health for all campaign’ he said the entire Indian health care system needs an overhaul. According to the Global Hunger Index, India ranks 103 out of 119 and 145 out of 195 in terms of quality and accessibility of healthcare as per the Lancet study.
The specific problems he pointed out are: 50% children are malnourished and 62% are immunized; 8, 02,000 infant deaths were reported in India in 2017 (UN reports);

4 lakh people died of tuberculosis while India has the third-largest number of people living with HIV in the world; there are 1.5 lakh vacancies in health services with one primary healthcare Centre (often manned by one doctor) for more than 51,000 population.

Some of the possible solutions to improve the health care system as per Dr. Kafeel Khan are:
 

1. Access to good quality health care services without anyone having to face financial hardship–for all at all ages irrespective of  caste/religion/region/gender/disability/ economic status.
2. Government should provide health services that are affordable, adequate, new & acceptable for its citizens-free consultation/drugs/diagnostics and free emergency care services in all public hospitals.
3. Increase in public health expenditure to 3% of the GDP.
4. Increase the budget allocated for health services Rs 1.5 Lakhs Cr/every year for the next 5 years.
5. Fill all the 1.5 Lakhs existing vacancies and create new jobs every year.
6. Regularize National Health Mission employees, Equal pay for equal work, social security for them.
7. ASHA workers to get 20000 per month and Aganwadi workers to get 15000 per month minimum salary.
8. Cut GST rate to 5% from the current 18 per cent on health insurance premium.
9. GST exemption for OPD Products and drugs for serious ailments such as cancer and diabetes.
10. Reduce GST rate to 5% from the current 18 per cent on medical technology solutions.

The event was attended by the media and health activists in Kolkata.

Courtesy: Two Circle

The post Dr. Kafeel Khan draws attention to the shortcomings in the health sector in his lecture at Kolkata appeared first on SabrangIndia.

But the presence of roadshow participants dressed as deities of one particular faith appears to be a violation of this provision as do the chants of Jai Shree Ram. It doesn’t matter even if the people who were dressed as deities or chanting the religious slogans were or weren’t BJP workers or members. The fact that the party allowed them to participate in the rally despite violating the code of conduct and did nothing to stop them appears to make them at least partly complicit. It remains to be seen if the EC will take cognisance of this violation and hold the BJP accountable.

The post Religious Symbolism, Slogans at Amit Shah’s Roadshow Election Code of Conduct Violation? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

At the end of a hot and humid day, a storm seemed about to break. As the wind picked up, so did Mamata’s speech. The crowd wanted more. At the end, as she chanted well known shlokas from Bhagavad Gita, the mass of people heard in pin-drop silence. It was electrifying.

This evening, walking down College Street to Shyam Bazar, I saw young men wearing placards with Vidyasagar’s image on them. Today, Mamata walked the same route that Amit Shah took yesterday. Thousands of women and men walked with her, calling the BJP out. Protesting the vandalisation of Vidyasagar’s statue.

Walking the streets, I cannot help but get the feeling that today, Kolkata – a city of eccentrics, radicals, and conservatives alike – is on the edge of a precipice. As I wandered down the Gariahat lane, I heard hawkers arguing politics. Four Trinamool supporters and one CPI-M-turned-BJP supporter. I joined their conversation for a while. The red-turned-saffron hawker accused me of being a TMC supporter when I asked him why is he asking people to vote for Modi. Their banter was sharp and political; peppered with humour, yet uncompromising. Characteristic of the city.

Will the inroads made by the BJP change all this?

Today CPI-M general secretary, condemed the vandalisation of Vidyasagar’s statue, and blamed hooliganism in the TMC and BJP. Yesterday, in an informal conversation with a highly-placed TMC official, I mused out loud that the last time the Vidyasagar statue was vandalised was during the Naxal uprising. “They were not like this,” the official said – drawing the kind of distinction between the Left and the BJP that the CPI-M today is loathed to draw.

It’s hard, caught in this vortex, to not have the bleak feeling that Bengal is slipping away.

From a FB post of Monobina Gupta titled “Some Notes from a City becoming rapidly unhinged “

The post Kolkata: On the edge of a Precipice appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Jain Thali received at Iftar

M Reyaz, a journalist and also assistant professor at Aliah University, Kolkata tweeted about this gesture with pictures of the Thali given by their neighbour and the Iftar spread of their house. And his tweet instantly got thousands of likes and re-tweets.

Many tweeters shared their own experience of having lived in mixed neighbourhood with much nostalgia. It even got appreciation from many tweeters living in Pakistan who had heard stories of Hindu-Muslim love from their parents and grandparents who had lived in India before the partition.

M Reyaz told TwoCircles.net, “ The response on social media was overwhelming and I was touched by how people connected with it and appreciated the beauty of what they termed as ‘true essence of India’.”

“In these bleak times, when communal venom has spread so much, gestures like these give us hope. That is what clicked and struck a chord with people.”

M Reyaz has posted his tweet with the hashtag #knowyourneighbour which was a drive initiated 3 years back in 2016, Kolkata to get to know each other’s neighbours and promote communal harmony. A series of events have been done under this campaign and are still being conducted to encourage inter faith dialogue.

 
Courtesy: Two Circle

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“Kolkata Solid Waste Management Improvement Project has achieved 60-80 per cent (depending on site) segregation of waste at its source, with further waste segregation occurring at transfer stations,” a media release said on the occasion of international summit of Mayors of millions plus cities of which Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and New Delhi are its members from India.

“Forward looking, the project aims to eradicate open dumping and burning of waste and to limit the concentration of methane gas generated in landfill sites,” it said.

Kolkata is the only Indian city to receive the prestigious award. It received the award during the C40 Mayors Summit held in Mexico City.

“In our country, only Kolkata metropolitan has got this award,” Dilip Yadav, chairman of the Uttarpara Municipality, told PTI over phone from Mexico City after receiving the prestigious award from C40 Chair and Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes.

“This motivates us for more performance for the sustainability of this project,” he said.

“Our motto is participation of the common people. Being chairman, I have visited 50,000 house and have made our people aware about the benefits of solid waste management,” he said.

“The project involved 100 per cent door to door collection of solid waste, segregation and recycling by way of compositing which is sold in the market,” Onkar Singh-Meena, Secretary Municipal Affairs and CEO of Kolkata Municipal Development Authority said.

“One significant aspect of this project is that ragpickers are part of it,” said Meena, who is head of the Kolkata delegation to the Mayors Summit.

Other cities that won the award are Addis Adaba, Copenhagen, Curitiba, Sydney and Malborne, Paris, Portland, Seoul Shenzhen, and Yokohama.

“On behalf of C40, I want to congratulate all the winning cities for their commitment to their citizens and their dedication to tackling climate change,” said outgoing C40 Chair and Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes.

“Throughout my tenure as C40 Chair, I have been increasingly impressed by the calibre of the C40 Cities Award winners, and I look forward to seeing other mayors around the world adapting and implementing these models in their own cities,” he said.

“The C40 Cities Awards recognise the best and boldest work being done by mayors to fight climate change and protect people from risks,” said C40 President of the Board and UN.

Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change Michael R Bloomberg.

“The winning projects show that great progress is being made on every continent, and they serve as an inspiration to other cities. They also show how cities can help the world meet the ambitious goals set a year ago in Paris,” he said.

Courtesy: Janta Ka Reporter
 

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