New Delhi, Sep 21 (PTI) The protests in West Bengal triggered by a trainee doctor’s rape and murder are “unprecedented” and have shown the scope as well as the need for a Left, democratic opposition in the state, CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya has said.
In an interview with PTI, Bhattacharya said civil society members leading the protests had kept political parties, especially the BJP, away.
At the same time, it shows that a “third power” is required in West Bengal, he said.
People from a cross-section of society joined junior doctors’ month-long protests across the state against the August 9 rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Asked if the protests would have any impact on the state’s politics, Bhattacharya said, “I think it will definitely have an impact. These protests are unprecedented.” “We have not seen such a huge protest in West Bengal or any part of India in recent times. This is mainly a civil society protest, the agenda is justice and reforms in the health system not just in West Bengal but the entire country,” he added.
Bhattacharya believes the rape-murder case was a trigger that unleashed the people’s anger against the state’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) government.
“The RG Kar incident was just a trigger, we think there were a lot of issues against the government. There is dissatisfaction among the people,” he said.
“It is important to note that the civil society has not allowed political parties to intervene in their protests, especially the BJP. So it proves that the civil society of Bengal is also concerned about the nation,” the Left leader said.
“So there is a requirement for a third power in West Bengal now. The BJP, which has become the main opposition party, should be replaced by a Left, democratic, strong opposition. We think there is a scope for this, it is also the requirement of the present day,” he added.
Bhattacharya said the junior doctors’ protests had brought to the fore the need for transparency in the healthcare system and eliminating corruption.
“The kind of corruption that is there in the health system and its examination system, it is very deep-rooted. So, bringing transparency in the health system and eliminating corruption are the two main issues,” he said.
The CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary added that apart from the healthcare system, the protests should also draw attention to the issue of women’s safety in the workplace.
“I hope the Supreme Court does not see it only as an issue of doctors’ security. Along with the safety of doctors, the biggest issue is that, after so many days of the Nirbhaya case, the Verma Committee report and some changes in the law, rape incidents have not come down in the country. An incident is reported every 16 minutes. Conviction rates have not risen, it is still only around 27 per cent,” Bhattacharya said.
“So, this is also an issue about the safety of women at the workplace, and the Supreme Court should look in that direction as well,” he added.
Bhattacharya also slammed the West Bengal government over an order barring women from performing night shifts, as well as the anti-rape Aparajita bill passed in the assembly.
The proposed legislation is focused on a provision for stringent punishment but will not help ensure justice for victims, Bhattacharya alleged.
“The way the Bengal government came up with some proposals, it appeared they were trying to restrict women in the name of security, stopping them from working in night shifts. You cannot curtail a person’s rights in the name of safety,” he said.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday objected to the Mamata Banerjee-led government’s Rattierer Saathi — Helpers of the Night programme, which stipulated that working hours for women should not exceed 12 hours at a time and prescribed avoiding night duty.
Contending that it was only a temporary security measure, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the West Bengal government, submitted that the state would issue a notification to correct it.
Bhattacharya further said, “Similarly, the Aparajita bill that was passed, instead of focusing on delivery of justice to rape victims, it tries to mislead people by providing for stringent punishment, death sentence. It has been seen that if the more stringent punishments are in a law, the hope for a victim getting justice goes down, and rape and murder incidents will increase. So this is not a step in the right direction.” The West Bengal Assembly on September 3 unanimously passed the Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill, 2024, that seeks capital punishment for rape convicts if their actions result in the victim’s death or leave her in a vegetative state, and life sentence without parole for other perpetrators.
Governor CV Ananda Bose has referred the Bill to President Droupadi Murmu.
The protesting doctors in West Bengal are demanding justice for the 31-year-old medic as well as removal of key officials, alleging their involvement in the case.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating the case, has arrested several people, including the medical college’s former principal Sandip Ghosh, in connection with its probe.
Junior doctors on Saturday rejoined their duties partially at various government-run hospitals.
The agitating doctors said they would wait another seven days for the administration to fulfil their demands for justice and the health secretary’s removal.
They warned of another round of cease work if their demands were not met. PTI AO SZM
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