The Crossbill News Desk
Well known Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra has moved the Calcutta High Court seeking protection against what she described as social harassment after speaking out against the Mamata Banerjee-led state government, particularly over the rape and murder of a woman doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital.
On Wednesday (August 3), the court allowed Mitra to submit her petition. Once formally admitted, the matter is expected to be taken up for hearing next week, The Times of India reported.
Mitra, who has been vocal on the issue since the tragedy last year, joined a protest rally on August 9 this year, marking the first anniversary of the incident. At the rally, she raised sharp questions over the lack of justice for the victim and her parents even after a year.
In her petition, Mitra alleged that since then she has faced threats on social media and has been targeted with attempts to “completely boycott her socially,” news agency IANS reported.
She claimed that posters and banners carrying slogans against her were pasted outside her residence in Behala, on the southern outskirts of Kolkata.
"I've been harassed by the, I've been subjected, I've been victimized by the hooliganism of the ruling party cadres, members, because since I had protested against what's happening around in Kolkata, West Bengal and especially pertaining to last year's case where this young doctor had met this fatal death, so I was amongst one of the protesters, amongst one of the many," she told the agency.
Despite registering an email complaint with Haridevpur Police Station, she said, “there has been no action on the part of the officials in the matter,” leaving her with no option but to approach the High Court for protection.
The actress’s plea reflects a wider trend of reprisals faced by those who protested the R.G. Kar tragedy.
Since the movement began in August last year, many doctors who led the agitation in state-run hospitals have reportedly been subjected to punitive measures. Several were transferred to remote postings, while others faced “questionable” disciplinary proceedings initiated against them.
On Wednesday (August 3), the court allowed Mitra to submit her petition. Once formally admitted, the matter is expected to be taken up for hearing next week, The Times of India reported.
Mitra, who has been vocal on the issue since the tragedy last year, joined a protest rally on August 9 this year, marking the first anniversary of the incident. At the rally, she raised sharp questions over the lack of justice for the victim and her parents even after a year.
In her petition, Mitra alleged that since then she has faced threats on social media and has been targeted with attempts to “completely boycott her socially,” news agency IANS reported.
She claimed that posters and banners carrying slogans against her were pasted outside her residence in Behala, on the southern outskirts of Kolkata.
"I've been harassed by the, I've been subjected, I've been victimized by the hooliganism of the ruling party cadres, members, because since I had protested against what's happening around in Kolkata, West Bengal and especially pertaining to last year's case where this young doctor had met this fatal death, so I was amongst one of the protesters, amongst one of the many," she told the agency.
Despite registering an email complaint with Haridevpur Police Station, she said, “there has been no action on the part of the officials in the matter,” leaving her with no option but to approach the High Court for protection.
The actress’s plea reflects a wider trend of reprisals faced by those who protested the R.G. Kar tragedy.
Since the movement began in August last year, many doctors who led the agitation in state-run hospitals have reportedly been subjected to punitive measures. Several were transferred to remote postings, while others faced “questionable” disciplinary proceedings initiated against them.
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