Today, on the 7th of September, 2024, this website is being launched at a time when Bengal stands at an unprecedented crossroads. It would not be appropriate to compare today’s situation with any other moment in history. The horrific, barbaric, and brutal incident that occurred on the 9th of August with an on-duty doctor at R.G. Kar Hospital defies any words of condemnation. All of Bengal has taken to the streets, demanding justice for this rape and murder, and punishment for the culprits. In these few days, Kolkata, its suburbs, and the villages of Bengal have witnessed hundreds of protest marches. From eight-year-olds to the elderly, men, women, and people of the third gender, regardless of caste, creed, or profession, have joined these marches. Their slogans have filled the air! This is not the parroting of any political party’s rhetoric but the voice rising from the depths of the people’s hearts. It has brought mothers with babies in their arms to the streets, forced the elderly with oxygen tubes to drag their frail bodies out to protest. What we have witnessed in these few days will leave an indelible mark in our memories, destined to become a story for the ages.
Perhaps, justice will be served in the days to come, either swiftly or delayed in the endless cycle of 'dates after dates.' Perhaps, after some time, the protests and gatherings will dwindle. Perhaps, nothing of significance will happen! The seat of power may remain unshaken, and the self-respect of the police, dragging itself through the mud, may not force them to bow before their own reflection; but this spontaneous emergence of political awareness, rising from beneath the shadow of red and blue flags, or rather, rejecting them altogether, will leave its mark. This movement is not just about seeking justice for a doctor; it is a fierce rejection of the rotting system and the politicians who control it. Lighting the way along this path, our society will gradually free itself and heal. Maybe not today, but in some distant dawn, it will happen. The people have not endured everything; the spirit of awareness has not died. That’s why I believe this is an unprecedented turning point. Here, our role is to hold our ground, to cling tightly to our roots—the roots that are deeply embedded in Bengal’s skies, air, history, and the consciousness and existence of Bengalis. I hope you will join us on this journey.
Will you?
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