In West Bengal, thousands of junior doctors, joined by people from all walks of life, took out a mega protest march on the occasion of Mahalaya in Kolkata yesterday demanding justice for rape and murder victim of state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The protest march, organised by Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front, began at College Street and ended in Esplanade area.

The rally, one of the largest demonstrations in recent weeks, attracted a diverse mix of participants, including doctors, nurses, medical students, and concerned citizens. The protesters later gathered on the banks of Ganga, lighting 1,000 diyas as a symbolic act in their fight for justice.
The protest marks a fresh escalation of the doctors’ ongoing agitation for improved safety measures for healthcare workers. Junior doctors vowed to continue their protest till the government acted decisively.

Mahalaya marks the beginning of Devi Paksha in the Hindu calendar, heralding the start of Durga Puja celebrations, when devotees invoke Goddess Durga to descend to Earth.

Meanwhile, a statue christened ‘Abhaya’ was unveiled on RG Kar Hospital premises, which the agitating doctors claimed is a symbol of the ghastly act that occurred on August 9 and also of the ongoing protests demanding justice.