In the wake of the rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata, Independence Day eve 2024 is set to be marked by ‘reclaim the night’ marches across West Bengal.
The midnight parade, initially planned to be held in Jadavpur, College Street, and Academy areas of Kolkata, gained momentum after several groups stepped in to organise the event for their localities. The women plan to set out at 11.55 p.m. on Wednesday (August 14, 2024), using the march as a means to highlight the prevalence of crimes against women.
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Pranaadhika Sinha Devburman, a supporter of the event and Chief Trustee for the One Million Against Abuse Foundation, told The Hindu, “It is a good initiative, but I hope we can take it beyond walking for one night. The next step after this should be to ensure there is accountability in all these institutions when it comes to protecting students and staff.”
Support for the ‘reclaim the night’ marches has poured in from other States as well. Marches are being organised in Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and Pune, among other places. Celebrities, including actors Swastika Mukherjee and Rituparna Sengupta, singer Imon Chakraborty, and intellectuals, have also voiced their support for the event, promising participation.
Even though many members of the Trinamool Congress have opposed the march, its Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray announced his support on social media. “Tomorrow I am going to join the protesters particularly because I’ve a daughter and little granddaughter like millions of Bengali families. We must rise to the occasion. Enough of cruelty against women. Let’s resist together. Come what may,” he had posted on X (formerly Twitter).
