Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday led a protest march in Kolkata against the alleged gangrape of a student inside South Calcutta Law College on June 25.
Joined by BJP workers and leaders, Adhikari participated in the ‘Kanya Suraksha Yatra’ from Golpark to Gariahat, organised by the party’s South Kolkata Organizational District unit.
"I attended the Kanya Suraksha Yatra (Women Safety March) today at Golpark; Kolkata, organized by the BJP South Kolkata Organizational District, protesting against the horrific gang rape of the student inside Kasba Law College. This incident is yet another scar on Bengal’s soul under the TMC regime. How many more innocent girls & ladies must suffer due to their failure to protect our women? The repeated atrocities are a shameful reflection of the negligence and incompetence of this State Govt," Adhikari wrote on X.
Addressing the media after the procession, Adhikari said, "The BJP has been on the streets across the entire state from the first day. No daughter is safe in the entire Bengal as long as Mamata Banerjee remains the chief minister. It is the police's job to ensure the safety of daughters. The police have completely failed."
The BJP has announced a fresh protest in the form of a Kasba drive on July 2. The party’s youth wing is spearheading the programme, with Adhikari confirming his participation. “It will not be enough to sit at home anymore. The Kanya Suraksha Yatra will continue in the Park Street, Kamduni, Hanskhali, RG Kar and Kasba incidents,” he said.
During the protest, Adhikari criticised both the state government and the Kolkata Police. "Kolkata Police is the protector of rapists. Where has the Kolkata Police Commissioner hidden the girl's parents? Where did Manoj Verma hide the girl?" he asked.
The BJP has indicated that its protests will continue until justice is ensured for the victim and her family. The Bengal Opposition leader also called for a larger campaign in August. "I will tell the parents of the R.G. Kar victim to call for a Navanna campaign on August 9. I will tell all citizens to come out. I will also join by leaving politics aside," he said.
The Congress, too, held a protest march in Khidirpur, with participants raising concerns over the Kasba case and broader issues of women's safety in the state.