Kolkata: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly will hit the streets on Wednesday (August 21) to seek justice for the alleged rape and murder of the post-graduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The former BCCI president will accompany his wife Dona Ganguly and her dance school’s students in the protest march. On Tuesday, Ganguly changed his display image on ‘X’ to black, in solidarity with the victim.
Earlier, the 51-year-old has been receiving severe backlash from netizens and few other sections of the society. Speaking at a promotional event in Kolkata, Ganguly termed the heinous crime as ‘stray incident’ and the safety for women in the state shouldn’t be judged on the basis of a single crime before adding that the culprits should be punished at the earliest.
“I don’t think everything should be judged on an stary incident. There is no room to think that everything or everyone is not safe for this (incident). Such accidents happen all over the world. It is wrong to think that girls are not safe. Not only in West Bengal, but everywhere in India, women are safe. Where we live is the best place. One should not judge by one incident,” he had said.
However, he later clarified his statement by saying his comments are being misinterpreted. “I don’t know how what I said last Sunday was construed or interpreted. I have said it earlier as well that (the crime) it’s a terrible thing. Now, the CBI (and the) police are investigating the matter. It’s very shameful what has happened,” he said.
Ever since the incident happened on August 9, there have been widespread protests across the country seeking justice for the victim, especially in Kolkata. As a result, medical services are being hampered. Meanwhile the Supreme Court directed the CBI to file a status report by August 22 on investigation in the Kolkata rape-murder case and West Bengal to file a status report by August 22 on progress of probe into mob attack on the RG Kar hospital.
The apex court was hearing a suo motu case related to the rape and murder of a postgraduate medic at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata amid the nationwide doctors’ strike over it.