Hunt down and punish the barbarians responsible for the heinous crime first

This certainly is the toughest litmus test that the Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is facing since assuming office in 2011. And this has come within two and half months of an astounding victory at the Lok Sabha polls. The current challenge was not a political battle per se and is not supposed to be one. The alleged rape and murder of a junior doctor at the city’s State-run RG Kar Hospital has opened a Pandora’s Box- raising more questions than one-about the state’s healthcare system, state’s law and order situation, safety and security of women, malpractices and irregularities of various kinds, patronised allegedly by a section of the ruling party, so on and so forth. It all started with an apolitical, candlelight protest march by women, christened as ‘Reclaim the Night’. Eventually, people from all walks of life hit the streets, in separate groups, ‘We want Justice’ being the common slogan. Mamata also had to come out on the street along with her supporters and followers with the same slogan; in fact, going a step forward demanding capital punishment for the real culprits. As days passed by, this slogan has been replaced by demand for Mamata’s resignation.

It is not that such heinous incidents have not taken place earlier in the state or elsewhere. They have been happening through ages. What Bengal saw for the first time was the kind of public outrage, sentiments and outbursts. Mamata’s political opponents, who have been failing miserably to win over her and oust her from power, lapped this up. Many observers also noticed a frame-by-frame copy-pasting of the sequence of events in Sri Lanka and more recently in Bangladesh, up to a point. Mamta herself pointed this out, as well. If social media had its role, well-structured, well-oiled political strategy and efforts also had a crucial role in making things reach this stage. No one should support such heinous crimes against any woman. No one should support politicisation of such a barbaric issue either. Initially, Mamata, her party, her government were clearly on the back-foot. It was inevitable. However, handing over the investigation has actually given the much-needed breathing space to the state’s ruling party.

There may be bigger stories and ploys behind the alleged rape and murder, but could that part of the investigation have come in the second stage and should the prime focus of the investigation have been to find the real culprits, before anything else? Would resignation of the Chief Minster or toppling of the government render justice to the victim and her family? How long would the people stand doctors’ protests, leaving the hapless patients untreated at government hospitals? What would happen to the junior doctors-led protests and agitations if some junior doctors are also found guilty? Would the women-led movement be as sharp if some female colleagues of the victim or others are found guilty? These are some of the most pertinent questions that would surface once logic and reasoning start getting the better of emotion and powerful political agenda. The air must be cleared before it is too late. One must remember that at the end of the day, justice delayed is justice denied.