KOLKATA: Parimal Dey, a teacher from Alipurduar in West Bengal, who was honoured with the Banga Ratna award by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in 2019, has decided to return the award over the state government’s response to the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder incident.
“I have decided to return the Banga Ratna award. The way protests occurred in Bengal and outside, it is my conscience call that I should give it back. I support the protest,” he said.
“The way she (Mamata Banerjee) is running the administration is not right,” he said.
In a related development, the West Bengal Motion Picture Artists’ Forum staged a protest in Tollygunge demanding justice for the victim in the rape-murder incident and urged the Kolkata administration to take responsibility.
Meanwhile, Celebrated dancer Mamata Shankar led a rally of her students in the southern part of the city, demanding justice in the incident.
“All we are asking now is to track all those involved in this ghastly crime and ensure prompt justice so that the perpetrators get exemplary punishment. Hang them to death,” she said.
Rallies and demonstrations were held in different parts of West Bengal on Sunday. In Kolkata, civil society members marched from Ramlila Maidan in Moulali to Metro Channel in Esplanade, demanding justice for the victim of the crime. Slogans such as ‘Hatras theke RG Kar, dharsaner biruddhe othao swar’ (from Hathras to RG Kar, raise voice against rapes) rented the air.
“While we demand the CM’s statement on the issue of women’s safety in the state, we also seek punishment of all the rapists — whether the crime took place in Hatras or Kolkata,” said rights activist Satabdi Das.