Several celebrities with ties to the Trinamool Congress have actively joined the ongoing protests, voicing their strong condemnation of the rape and murder of a woman doctor on duty at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH) on August 9.
Among those who have participated in the demonstrations is former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly. Despite earlier sparking controversy by referring to the tragic event at RGKMCH as a “stray incident,” Ganguly participated in a candlelight vigil alongside his daughter, Sana, on Wednesday.
“There is safety for women everywhere in India, including in West Bengal. India is a fantastic country, and West Bengal is a great state, with a wonderful city where we live. We shouldn’t judge based on just one incident,” Sourav Ganguly had remarked earlier, sparking outrage. His comments led to widespread calls on social media for his removal as the brand ambassador of Tripura tourism.
In response to the backlash, Ganguly later clarified his stance, calling the incident “terrible and shameful,” and emphasized that those responsible should face strict punishment.
Meanwhile, his daughter, Sana Ganguly, made a strong statement while speaking to the media, expressing her deep concern over the frequency of such incidents. “Every day, we hear about a rape case, and it’s heartbreaking… Even in 2024, these things are still happening, despite all the talk about equality,” she said. Sana also called for continued protests until justice is served for the victim.
Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, who has been vocal during protest rallies and press conferences in Kolkata, condemned the violence in Bengal, including the use of rape as a “political weapon.” He criticized the current government and system, stating that they needed to be replaced to stop such heinous acts.
The ongoing protests have seen widespread participation from celebrities in the arts, theatre, and music, as well as prominent figures from the Bengali film industry, many of whom are often seen alongside the Chief Minister at events like the Kolkata International Film Festival. These personalities have organized several protest rallies demanding justice for the victim. On Sunday, numerous film industry figures led a peaceful march from Khanna to Shyambazar, holding banners.
Actor and former Trinamool Congress MP Mimi Chakraborty publicly supported the victim on social media and participated in street protests. However, her affiliation with the ruling party provoked backlash, with some individuals sending her rape threats, which she shared online.
Trinamool Congress MLA and actor Raj Chakraborty, along with his wife, actress Subhashree Ganguly, also took to the streets, joining a 200-member rally of Bengali film industry actors to demand justice.
Actor and director Parambrata Chattopadhyay, who participated in a protest rally, remarked, “It’s been a long time since I saw our industry unite like this. Not everyone can be silenced; those who wish to speak out have the right to do so.”
Subhashree Ganguly, who had planned a special screening of her film “Babli,” canceled the event in solidarity with the protests and voiced her support on social media.
Other prominent Bengali actors, including Kaushik Sen, Saswata Chatterjee, Paoli Dam, and Churni Ganguly, joined the street protests to support the cause.
Members of the Bengali music industry, such as Imon Chakraborty, Rupam Islam, Debojyoti Misra, Mir Afsar Ali, and Lopamudra Mitra, also participated in protest rallies in Kolkata. Senior music composer Debojyoti Mishra stated, “We are all part of this protest, just like the thousands who marched today.”
Director Srijit Mukherjee, who also joined the protests, shared a personal connection to the incident. “My mother is a doctor; she’s done night duties and slept in seminar rooms. She has many friends at R.G. Kar, which is why this is personal for me. I hope campus safety measures become more stringent.”
On August 14, actor and director Aparna Sen visited the protest site at RGKMCH to support junior doctors and medicos in their protest. “She was brutally raped and killed. Was there an attempt to conceal the truth and distract us from the incident?” Sen questioned, while also raising concerns about the role of the Kolkata police in the initial investigation. However, her presence at the protest site was met with vocal objections from some protesters.
