■ After the rape and murder of Abhaya, the main accused is still Sanjay Roy. However, he is not solely responsible for creating the environment necessary for the crime. It is not yet clear whether he acted alone or had accomplices, but there is no doubt that he received institutional support. How could a civic police Volunteer, who was not on duty, roam freely throughout the hospital at midnight without any hindrance? No one stopped him? No one noticed his activities? Even the CCTV did not capture sufficient evidence of his movements? What a terrible lack of security for doctors and patients in the hospital! Not only the agitated family of the patient, but even government personnel can come and commit brutal murder and rape? For this, we hold the health secretary, ministers, and officials responsible. It is your responsibility for making hospitals so insecure for so long.
■ After the murder, former principal Sandeep Ghosh and local police tried to mislead the investigation in several instances. You did not try to preserve evidence properly, gave people false information, and could not prevent the vandalism on the midnight of August 14, five days after the murder. Again, it has been proven how vulnerable the lives of both patients and doctors are in the hospital. The public holds the police commissioner and the relevant department’s secretary and minister responsible for this.
■ Numerous allegations of corruption in the entire health sector have been accumulating for a long time—various corruption information and evidence related to exams and recruitment have been brought to the attention of the vice-chancellor. Due to the extreme dishonest business cycle involving fake medicines and biomedical waste, the lives of ordinary poor patients have been endangered. Compared to other corruptions in society, this is much more significant because it directly involves the survival of ordinary people. You maintain this extreme corruption in the health sector—honorable health department, through some of your loyal, ruler-friendly individuals. Sandeep Ghosh, Suhrita Pal, and their associates are numerous corruption masterminds, but the public directly accuses you of fostering all this corruption.
■ The incidents of rape and torture are increasing in this state, keeping pace with the atrocities on women and marginalized sexual people elsewhere in the country. Often, the government and police have tried to shield the perpetrators in such cases. They have shown reluctance to take strict measures. This time it has been directly proven that women are not safe even in the workplace. The one who is supposed to be the protector is becoming the murderer, and even before the murder, he does not hesitate to consciously sexually harass. Instead of properly resisting this disgusting mentality, it is often encouraged. Threat culture and rape culture are swelling together in various institutions and neighborhoods of the state. Sometimes by encouraging, sometimes by being indifferent, you, honorable rulers, have created this situation today. The public holds you responsible for this misery.
■ Those whom people trusted for proper investigation and justice are also disappointing. Many questions have arisen regarding the investigation process and the charge sheet presented. The CBI officers and lawyers are so present in the whole process in such a careless, loose, and unprofessional manner that there is doubt whether Abhaya’s family and the public will ultimately get justice. The investigation is being conducted under the supervision of the honorable court, which is the only hope so far. But there is a difference between this heinous incident and any other crime. The entire society is living in anxiety and fear—why can’t the progress of the investigation be presented to the people while maintaining necessary confidentiality? One criminal after another is roaming freely in society without being proven guilty—this is a matter of extreme concern and unrest for the citizens. There are also allegations against you of siding with the powerful. Even in the past, many times, definite criminals have received a clean chit through your investigation. You have not yet taken any effective steps to dispel this justified distrust and suspicion of the public. More transparency, more professionalism, and more sensitivity are expected from you. Otherwise, you will soon be accused as indirect accomplices of the crime.
■ The CBI and the judiciary will ultimately give appropriate punishment to the murderer and his accomplices—this expectation and demand do not mean that the questions about the responsibility and accountability of the government system and the atmosphere of corruption in the health sector that created the opportunity for this murder and rape should not be raised.
