Is that someone getting their hack saw ready? Yes, and not just someone but the TMCP Unit of RG Kar barging into a hostel to threaten anyone and everyone who does not wish to support their ‘beloved’ Dr Sandip Ghosh.
For context, this is the infamous Sandip Ghosh(it’s really hard to suffix his name with a Dr) ex Principal of RG Kar who had to face a movement just on the demand of his removal for his corrupt, dictatorial, anti student practices. He is the same guy you may remember running wearing a white shirt after facing a gherao because he sent police to students’ houses.
Recently he has been transferred from his post of Principal to Professor, Orthopaedic, Murshidabad Medical College. So what was the response of TMCP, call a strike using their cell both at Murshidabad Medical College and trying the same at RG Kar. A 72 hour student strike was called in Murshidabad Medical College. RG Kar students have experienced first hand the brutality at the hands of the TMCP Unit and Sandip Ghosh as well, from targetting students academically to putting all sorts of pressures on specific students who participated in the anti principal movement, nothing was off limits. Some interns had their registeration witheld until their plea was finally heard in the high court. Basically RG Kar was a democracy free zone under his rule.
Now, a still from the video that you see is the tip of the iceberg of what has been going on in RG Kar. After the transfer of Sandip Ghosh those who chose to not participate in pro Sandip Ghosh protests are being threatened with their lives. These goons who cannot be called students are roaming with weapons inside other hostels to threaten people into joining their side. Death threats are being issued, students are being tortured.
How long has it been since we saw what seniors torturing juniors and other students does? We remember how a section of society genuinely decided to take a stand against ragging, getting these power practices banished from the face of students lives so no other life is lost. We also saw a university being tried on local and national media, while all of us watched. We saw opportunists take their turn at targetting a university for their own political gains and because they had been waiting on a chance to smash the bastion of students’ movement. In all it’s mix were genuinely committed students and civilians who took the stance to fight against this social evil. We all know what the opportunists did and why they are silent on RG Kar. But what about the rest? Will these voices not be raised for RG Kar?
Despite the last dark chapter of RG Kar we all know that RG Kar has produced many socially responsible doctors. RG Kar holds a glorious history of righteous students and doctors who have spoken up for what is right regardless of the political wind. Students have stood up for themselves and kept the flame alive. We saw the same flicker during the last movement when students stood up against Sandip Ghosh.
It is to be seen whether the words that were spoken a few weeks ago, was it something that has really caught on to people’s minds or were they empty words that needed to be spoken to be at home with the narrative, or maybe score a few brownie points in a social moment. Will you, who spoke out for Swapnadeep, spoke out for Jadavpur, speak out for RG Kar? Will you who took that oath to care about students’ lives speak out?
