Gondia: On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, a festival where sisters tie rakhi to their brothers and seek protection, the atmosphere in Gondia was charged with anger and protest. Following the horrific incident on August 9 at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College, where a female postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered, there has been a wave of outrage among doctors across the country. This incident has put immense pressure on the administration.
In Gondia, protests have been intensifying, with campaigns focusing on women’s safety and awareness. Leading these protests are prominent female doctors and women from the social sector, who have come together to form an organization called “Gondia Women Safety.” This marks the beginning of a powerful protest against such heinous crimes in society.
The protestors demand an end to such brutal crimes and call for a change in the mindset that fosters such acts. They emphasized the need for respect for women, warning that if justice is not served, women will take matters into their own hands, symbolically tying rakhi to themselves and making history.
On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, the protestors expressed their anguish by presenting a specially crafted rakhi to Gondia District Collector Prajit Nair and District Superintendent of Police Gorakh Bhamre. This large rakhi carried several slogans of resistance, such as “We will not repeat the pages of history,” “Draupadi, take up arms now; Krishna will not come to your rescue,” and “Raise your voice, wield your weapon; no more tears, show your strength.”
The protestors also voiced their frustration over the repeated “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” slogans, urging an end to atrocities against daughters. They lamented that instead of holding candles, history shows women burning down kingdoms and starting wars to protect their honor. The message was clear: “If you are a lion for your sister, do not be a demon to someone else’s.”
The protestors demanded the death penalty for those who commit such despicable crimes and pledged to be ever vigilant in helping and protecting daughters. Wearing black, the women demonstrated their solidarity and commitment to standing up against atrocities. They called for increased police patrolling in Gondia and its surrounding areas, especially around medical colleges and hostels, to ensure safety.
The protest saw the participation of several prominent women, including Dr. Lata Jain, Dr. Alka Bahekar, Dr. Nirmala Jaipuria, Dr. Pranita Chitnavis, Dr. Smita Acharya, Dr. Shilpa Meshram, Dr. Kavita Bhagat, Dr. Kanchan Bhoyar, Dr. Gargi Bahekar, Dr. Mayuri Patle, Dr. Yamini Yelane, Dr. Shwetal Mahule, Dr. Meena Wati, Dr. Sushankee Kapse, Dr. Pooja Kothari, Dr. Suvarnalata Upadhyay, Dr. Shaifali Jain, Dr. Julie Jain, Dr. Harsha Kantode, Dr. Sneha Sharma, Dr. Rashmi Pardhi, as well as social activists like Mrs. Deepti Mishra, Mrs. Sharmila Paul, Mrs. Savita Turkar, Mrs. Nishi Hora, Mrs. Dr. Madhuri Nasare, Mrs. Bhavana Kadam, Mrs. Maithili Purohit, Mrs. Sheetal Rahgade, Mrs. Kanchan Thakirani, Ms. Pooja Tiwari, Mrs. Meenu Diwanival, Ms. Shalini Dongre, Mrs. Seema Khandelwal, Mrs. Yojana Kotwal, Mrs. Divya Pardhi, Mrs. Kalpana Chauhan, Vaishali Khobragade, Mrs. Ruchita Chauhan, Mrs. Sangeeta Mate, Mrs. Mangla Sabu, Mrs. Sangeeta Ghosh, Mrs. Manisha Hora, Mrs. Manju Katre, Mrs. Lata Bajpayee, Engineer Ms. Shikha Piplewar, Mrs. Pooja Thakirani, Mrs. Kokila Chauhan, Mrs. Gayatri Chauhan, Adv. Sunita Jain, and members of the nursing staff like Ashwini Bhoyar, Ms. Deepti Vasnik, and Ms. Bhumi, among others.
by Ravi Arya
