KOLKATA: It was a grim Raksha Bandhan in Kolkata on Monday as in protest against the medico’s rape-murder wore black rakhis. In various parts of the state too, girls tied black rakhi to their brothers. On Monday the Joint Platform of Doctors supported the ‘black ribbon’ agitation.Various artists from across the state gathered at Academy of Fine Arts and joined a rally in support for justice for the victim. Doctors gathered at Calcutta National Medical College at 2 pm and marched to Lalbazar in support for Dr Subarno Goswami and Dr Kunal Sarkar, who were summoned by the Police for allegedly spreading misinformation and revealing the identity of the victim.Dr Kinjal Nand of Joint Platform of Doctors said the protesting doctors were summoned by the police but were released later. West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose met women leaders and doctors at Raj Bhavan. “In West Bengal, democracy is degenerating…This cannot go on. Today, we have to take a pledge to protect our daughters and sisters. We have failed our sisters,” said the Governor.Meanwhile, the case has exposed a rift within the ruling Trinamool Congress over how to handle the issue and the ensuing protests. “There are differences within the party on how the incident should have been tackled. Some feel the state’s response has been slow, allowing the protests to escalate. Others believe that opposition parties have seized the opportunity to use the protests against the government,” a senior TMC leader said.“The fact is that what the party’s top leadership is saying is not echoed by other leaders. It is sending out a wrong message among the entire rank and file,” he said. Commenting on the ongoing protests, senior TMC leader and MLA Madan Mitra remarked that the public outrage is reminiscent of the Nandigram and Singur anti-land acquisition protests against the previous Left Front regime.
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