Calcutta High Court Approves BJP Protest Near R.G. Kar Medical College

On Tuesday, the Calcutta High Court granted the West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) permission to stage a demonstration near R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital. The protest is against the rape and murder of a female doctor associated with the medical facility.

The BJP had originally sought to hold the protest at Shyambazar five-point crossing, located close to the hospital. However, the Kolkata Police denied them permission to do so. In response, the BJP petitioned the Calcutta High Court for an alternative venue.

Justice Rajarshi Bhardwaj of the Calcutta High Court approved the BJP’s request, allowing the demonstration to take place for five days, starting Wednesday. The court also set specific time limits for the protest, from 12 noon to 9 p.m.

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Earlier, on August 16, the BJP had attempted to stage the protest at Shyambazar five-point crossing. They set up a temporary dais for this purpose, but Kolkata Police dismantled it on the same morning. As BJP workers tried to erect a new dais, a confrontation with the police ensued.

Subsequently, the police imposed Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023 around R.G. Kar Hospital from August 18, prohibiting all gatherings, protests, or rallies in the area for seven days.

Following this, the BJP sought legal redress from Justice Bhardwaj’s bench, which resulted in the court’s favorable ruling.

State BJP leaders have expressed their approval of the court’s decision, noting that opposition parties in West Bengal frequently need to seek court permission for conducting peaceful political activities.

The tragic incident that prompted the protest involved the rape and murder of a female doctor on August 9. The post-mortem report revealed that the victim sustained 14 injuries. Her body was discovered under suspicious circumstances in a seminar hall at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital. To date, only one person has been arrested in connection with the case.