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Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Numbers down but spirit up as ‘Reclaim Night' returns after a yr
1 2 3 4 5 6 Kolkata: A year after the unprecedented response from women and trans-queer people, who had hit the roads to reclaim the night in a show of anger over the rape-murder of a PGT doctor at RG Kar Hospital, women, girls and trans-queer persons were back on streets to rekindle the movement. The rallies and gathering, though much fewer in number than last year's, reverberated with slogans such as "the night is ours" and "meye ra raat dokhol koro". They protested against victim-blaming, ingrained misogyny and patriarchal mindset of the society through art, street plays and songs. Organisations such as 'Raat Dokhol Din Bodol', 'Abhaya Mancha', Reclaim the Night (Women-Trans-Queer) United, All Bengal Alumni Association, Behala Pratibadi Mancha, Jadavpur Puratani-o-Sanghati, Uttorer Kontho and others took part in 'Reclaim the Night' programme in several parts of the city, including Shyambazar, Kankurgachhi, Sinthi More, Lake Town, Nagerbazar, Baguiati, Academy of Fine Arts, Jadavpur, Garia, Rashbehari More, Dhakuria, Ruby More, Karunamoyee and New Town. The protest took place in districts, too. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata | Gold Rates Today in Kolkata | Silver Rates Today in Kolkata Rimjhim Sinha, the first voice to give a call for 'Reclaim the Night', said, "A year has gone by but none of the structural demands has been implemented. This year, too, we are on the streets to make our voices heard." Sinha gave a call of gathering at Jadavpur Coffee House. Jadavpur Puratani-o-Sanghati marked the first anniversary of 'Reclaim the Night' at Jadavpur 8B Bus stand with theatre, speeches and songs that saw participation of over 350. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Reclaim the Night (Women-Trans-Queer) United screened two films along with cultural protest, which saw a turnout of more than 200. Over 350 were present at Garia at 10 pm. The crowd increased as night approached. At Ruby More, there were over 500. Netaji Nagar, too, saw participation of around 350 in a torch rally. Over 350 hit the streets at Sinthi More. Not too many people were seen at Shyambazar either. All Bengal Alumni Association and 'Abhaya Mancha' organised a gathering at Rashbehari. A torch rally was held from Kasba Rathtala to Dhakuria Banerjee para. Advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya was one of the speakers at Rashbehari. Playwright and actor Chandan Sen, Badshah Moitra, junior doctor Debashis Halder were also present. Baguiati and Lake Town saw participation of over 150 people till 10 pm. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy Independence Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
A year later, crowd spirit and size weigh on minds of ‘Reclaim the Night' protesters
1 2 Kolkata: The rape and murder of the young doctor on Aug 9 at her workplace served as an immediate catalyst for the 'Reclaim the Night' movement. However, the protests transcended this singular event, with women from all walks of life taking to the streets to oppose pervasive patriarchy, deep-rooted misogyny, and the dire need for secure spaces for women, not only in the workplace but also within the confines of their homes. A year later, the spirit and size of the crowd weigh on the minds of protesters as they seek to reclaim the night again on Aug 14 in different parts of the city, such as Jadavpur, Ruby More, Shyambazar, Sinthi More, and Salt Lake. Rimjhim Sinha, the first voice to give a call for the 'Reclaim the Night' protest last year, said, "I thought that when we celebrate the Independence of the country, I would like to celebrate my independence as a woman and reclaim what is ours — the city, the night, the public spaces that patriarchal forces would rather consistently throw us out of. Patriarchy is not about a certain gender or sexuality but it is a certain mentality that needs to be changed." The night of Aug 14 became "historic" with massive and spontaneous participation from women from different social strata, across generations and ages, trans queer people, and people from marginalised gender communities. The rallies reverberated with slogans such as "the night is ours" and "meyera, raat dokhol koro," as women united to reclaim their right to safety and security during the night and sought freedom from fear and surveillance. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata | Gold Rates Today in Kolkata | Silver Rates Today in Kolkata The citizens' stir against the rape-murder, as well as victim-blaming and rape culture, continued for weeks until the Durga Puja, demonstrating the 'power of people' which the city had not witnessed in a long time. "Unprecedented" and "unpredictable" are the two adjectives that described the street protests, which have been characterised by their depth (number of people hitting the streets), their spread across locations, their non-partisan nature, and spontaneous sustainability. Another prominent face of the 'Reclaim the Night' movement, Satabdi Das, said, "The numbers of protestors started to dip after the pujas as hitting the streets on a regular basis was not feasible and common people had to balance livelihood along with protest. Therefore, we organised night meetings and discussions on gender justice throughout this one year to keep the movement alive, which has its own identity, spirit, and 'banner'. " She added, "We have a good number of first-timers in the movement with us and their personal journey is remarkable. Domestic violence victims are breaking free from their relationships. Closeted lesbians are coming out. A 61-year-old has planned her own business to do away with an abusive husband. Things are changing every day in the lives of the Reclaimers. Lastly, the camaraderie between the women and the trans and queer people is far more solidified now. We will be observing the anniversary of 'Reclaim the Night' on Aug 14 this year at the Academy of Fine Arts." Sinha highlighted that besides seeking justice for the victim, the movement demanded a few systemic changes. "Though with the passage of time, the gatherings became smaller, we have seen an increase in the participation of women. This year, too, we will observe one year of 'Reclaim the Night' through cultural protest at Jadavpur Coffee House." Gargy Roy of Jadavpur Puratani-o-Sanghati feels, "The fight for justice and to root out rape culture has become more systematic in this one year. Common people are more conscious and aware of their rights and are not afraid to speak out against the wrongdoings. We have again given a call to reclaim the night on Aug 14 at Jadavpur 8B." Documentary filmmaker Ellora Debnath said they would observe the one-year anniversary of 'Reclaim the Night' at Ruby More from 9 pm. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
