Kolkata, Aug 12 (IANS) On the eve of Independence Day, state Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister, Agnimitra Paul, will hold a procession in Kolkata for women’s freedom. On Wednesday, she urged the women of the city to join the procession.
She also took a dig at the former Trinamool Congress government. She said that women can go out on the streets whenever they want, wear whatever clothes they want, as it is the government’s responsibility to ensure their safety.
On August 14, a gathering will be held in front of Ballygunge Shiksha Sadan School in south Kolkata at 9 p.m.
The procession will start under the leadership of Agnimitra Paul and will continue till Golpark. From there, the procession will return to Ballygunge Shiksha Sadan.
The minister said, “All mothers and sisters, come on the night of August 14. We will gather in front of Ballygunge Shiksha Sadan at 9 p.m. We will go over the bridge to Golpark, from there we will return to Ballygunge Shiksha Sadan under the bridge.”
She has asked all women, from schoolchildren to journalists, to join the procession.
Agnimitra Paul said that they will walk in a procession on the night before Independence Day for the sake of women’s freedom.
In this regard, taking a dig at the Trinamool government, she said, “This is a procession for our own freedom. During the previous government, we often saw that even if a six-month-old or eight-year-old child was raped, it was called the girl’s fault. The girl’s character and dress were blamed.
“Why did she go out of the house at 9 p.m., why did she go out at 8 p.m., we had to hear all this. We can’t listen to these comments anymore. No one can tell us what time we should go out, what to wear, what to eat. We won’t listen to these anymore. It is the responsibility of the government to provide protection.’’
It is worth noting that following the rape and murder of a female doctor on duty at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9 in 2024, the entire state took to the streets in protest.
A night protest programme titled ‘Reclaim the night’ was organised for women on August 14 that year in Kolkata.
People, especially women, walked in processions on the streets at night demanding justice for the victim of RG Kar.
–IANS
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