Kolkata: While demanding justice in the case of the RG Kar victim, more and more Durga Puja Committees of West Bengal have decided to refuse the ₹85000 honorarium, which was offered by the Chief Minister, Mrs Mamata Banerjee. They claim that receiving government-supplied subsidies is unworthy of doing while women are physically demonstrating on the streets and demanding better protection.
Rina Das, president of Bhadrakali Bouthan Sangha in Hooghly, supported the committee’s resolution to refuse the grant: “We cannot take this money because the heinous act of violence on postgraduate trainee doctor at her workplace was appalling, and this has deeply affected our members, therefore, in consideration to their feelings, we cannot accept it.”
In response of a similar sort, Prasenjit Bhattacharya, a member of the Uttarpara Shakti Sangha, said that such decisions are a way of extending a protest. ”For now, we refuse to take the money until all those that were involved in this reprehensible act are found and dealt with to the full extent of the law,” he said.
Other committees like Lalgola Krishnapur Sanyasitala in Murshidabad or Bethuadahari Town Club in Nadia also officially communicated to the local authorities that they have rejected the honorarium.
The Hiland Park Durgostav Committee in Jadavpur has also refused subsidies to show some support to the family of the survivor. An official from the committee said, “given the current situation of protest and fight for justice, we are unanimously allowing the government to forgo the grant”
The Forum for Durgotsab, established to provide a representation of community Durga Puja committees, has advocated that the tragedy not be associated with the festival. Organizing secretary Partha Ghosh said: “We are shocked and shattered on this incident and it has reduced our capability to fight for justice; we demand severe punishment for the culprits…why to link it with Bengal Durga puja which is on UNESCO list now?”
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