‘Even if I had to die…’, roared Balaram Bose, who stood in front of the water cannon with the tricolour in the Nabanna protest

On Tuesday, students took out a ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ rally to protest against the rape-murder incident in Kolkata hospital. They were going towards CM House when the police took action against them. In protest against this, BJP called for a 12-hour bandh in Kolkata on Wednesday but the situation remained normal. The picture of Balaram Bose, who participated in Nabanna Abhijan, holding the tricolor, made a lot of headlines on social media.

Balaram Bose says, “This movement was organised by students but it was said that one person from every house should participate in it. There are women in my house too. So we should be concerned about their safety. If the society remains healthy and safe, women will be respected. Where women are not respected, gods and goddesses do not live there…. When I participated in the movement, I believed that we have to make our voice reach Nabanna (temporary state secretariat of the West Bengal government).”

Also read: Who is Sayan Lahiri, the organiser of Nabanna protest, why is Mamata scared of students’ protest?

“We just want justice, nothing else.”

Balaram Bose further said, “Even if I had to die, I would have died… I was pointing out to them to get rid of the slavery that policemen follow in a dictatorial system. I was telling them to leave the handcuffs behind and join us in the march towards Nabanna or use water cannons in such a way that we all get swept away… I am a Sanatani, a devotee of Lord Shiva… I do not want any political party to influence or distract this movement. We only want justice and nothing else.”

TMC-BJP announces protest

Meanwhile, on August 9, both the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the opposition BJP have called for street protests demanding justice for the victim in the rape-murder case of a female doctor at the government RG Kar Hospital.

TMC’s student wing will protest

At the foundation day event of the TMC’s student wing, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that the student union would hold protests at every college gate on August 30 and demand capital punishment for the culprits.

Also read: 10 big pictures of Kolkata’s anger amid Nabanna March… see special report

The West Bengal Cabinet on Wednesday also approved a proposal to introduce a new bill aimed at preventing rape and ensuring stringent punishment for such crimes. The bill will be introduced in the Assembly next week.